


Riverdale Requests: Swarchie

by Stattic_Scribbles



Category: Archie Comics, Archie Comics & Related Fandoms, Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Angst, Fluff, M/M, Sick Fic, sick-fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-29
Updated: 2020-10-15
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:00:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 46
Words: 37,983
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23376532
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stattic_Scribbles/pseuds/Stattic_Scribbles
Summary: A collection of requests posted from my Tumblr based on Sweet Pea/Archie; Requests always open on my tumblr which can be found here:https://stattic-writes.tumblr.com/post/184300196529/guidelines
Relationships: Archie Andrews/Sweet Pea
Comments: 2
Kudos: 20





	1. Common Cold

“It’s a cold Archie calm down.”  
“You sure you don’t need me to get some cold medicine or something? Anything at all?” Sweet Pea rolls his eyes.  
“I’m fine. I’m a Serpent, I can handle anything.”  
“You’re gonna get sicker just cause you said that.” Archie smirks when Sweet Pea sneezes.  
“See?”

“It was one sneeze”  
“For now.” Archie nods as he returns back to practice. Sweet Pea can tell that Archie is watching him. Despite the suicides and drills from the coach. Sweet Pea lounges on the bleachers Fangs and Toni sitting slightly off to the side.  
“I’m not that sick, it’s a cold; at worst.” He repeats to them and they nod, still wary.

—————————————————————————-  
Fangs side-eyes him when he doubles over coughing.  
“I’m fine; just ran up the stairs is all.” He placates; Fangs still shakes his head. They’re sitting in the student lounge when Archie walks up; Sweet Pea’s still trying to catch his breath.  
“Sweets, you okay?” Archie hovers slightly.  
“Fine, you just take my breath away.” He winks, before dissolving into another coughing fit.  
“You sound worse than earlier.”  
“I’m fine, just need something to-“ Sweet Pea blinks as Archie shoves a Pop’s shake into his hand.

“Jughead and I swung by;” He explains as Jughead appears holding extra bags in his arms.  
“Archie insisted I get the Serpent’s lunch as well, so here, enjoy.”  
“These are just bags of fries.” Fangs states, pulling half of one over to him.  
“I’m not risking getting your burger order wrong and having you starting a coup to overthrow me.” Sweet Pea laughs, as Archie hands him a burger.  
“I’m not hungry.”  
“Because you’re sick and you should go home.”  
“It’s allergies.” Sweet Pea counters.

“You said it was a cold earlier.”Sweet Pea glares and Archie shakes his head.  
“I’ll go home if you come with me, I can’t be sick at home without anyone to- Where are you going?”  
“My car? I’m not riding with you on your bike; what if you sneeze and run us off the road.”  
——————————————————————-

“Won’t your dad care you’re skipping?”  
“I’m taking care of my boyfriend; he’ll understand.”  
“I’m pretty sure I’d have to be dying for him to be okay with it, don’t lie.” Sweet Pea smirks sitting on his couch.  
“He won’t care Sweet Pea; he’d be more upset if I left you alone.”  
“That was a joke you know; you don’t need to take care of me.” Sweet Pea grumbles as Archie pulls a blanket from the closet. Archie rolls his eyes nudging Sweet Pea’s leg so he swings them onto the couch so he’s laying down. He drapes the blanket over him and tucks it around his neck.  
“I’m not five.”

“I know, but you are sick, so medicine time.” Sweet Pea grimaces.  
“Here, come on, swallow it.” Archie holds out two pills and Sweet Pea nods. Narrowing his eyes when he’s presented with cough syrup as well. He’s about to protest coughing instead as Archie smirks knowingly. He grabs the cup from him grimacing as he swallows.  
“Why the fuck did you get cherry.”  
“Cherry’s the best.” Sweet Pea shakes his head.  
“You pour misinformed soul. Orange is clearly the best flavor.”  
“Yeah it…” Archie trails off.  
“What?” Sweet Pea watches him nervously.  
“We should watch a movie. Pick a Disney one, they’re always good for when you’re sick.”

“Arch what happened?”  
“Movie. I’ll get some toast.”  
“Archie!” he cringes at the panic in Sweet Pea’s voice.  
“Well I may have given you two of those nighttime pain medications, and the cough syrup isn’t non-drowsy so-“  
“Are you saying you drugged me?”  
“On accident! Besides at least you’ll sleep through it.”

“You have to stay now, to make sure I don’t die from you giving me too much drowsy medication.” Archie laughs nodding.  
“Oh the horror having to take care of my boyfriend while he’s sick.”  
“It’s allergies.” Sweet Pea sneezes nodding as Archie shoves a box of tissues next to him.  
“Move over.” He nudges Sweet Pea who moves slightly, lifting up the blanket so Archie can lay next to him.  
“What’re we watching?”  
“A movie.”

“I swear if we’re watching Mary Poppins again.”  
“I could put on dumbo, how well do you think your sick brain would handle the ‘pink elephant’ song? Hm?” Sweet Pea hands his head, arms looping around Archie’s arm as they spoon on the couch.  
“Stay.”  
“Well I can’t exactly move if I wanted to now can I Sweets?” Sweet Pea’s already dozing off, content smile on his face. Archie flickers his attention back to the movie for a moment before returning to watch Sweet Pea relaxing in his arms.


	2. Advice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sweet pea has a little sister that no one really knows about

Mad Dog ducks smirk on his face.  
“Come on Andrews, can’t let your opponent one up you cause they’re talking trash about your sex life. I mean it’s fine, I swear I don’t care if you have a thing for leather. I gotta hand it to the serpent’s they know how to dress.”Mad Dog laughs after he cleans the blood from the split lip.  
“You gotta keep your emotions under control, but you also need to talk about them Red. You bottle it up enough it’ll become a molotov cocktail, no telling who that’ll hurt when it goes off.” Archie nods tugging his gloves off.

Archie hadn’t meant to take the back route back from El Royale but he’d figured it was a nice enough day, and an excuse to sort out whatever feeling had been brought up by Mad Dog’s teasing about the Serpent’s.  
He’s lost in thought but not enough when he hears laughter and an annoyed shout.  
“Hey!” He doesn’t think twice seeing a girl grabbing for her bag which has been flung halfway up a tree. The worrying part is the Ghoulies circling her.  
“Go on, grab it. We’ll keep watch kid, seriously we’ll-“ The trail off as Archie runs up.  
“Awww we got an actual Northsider over here. Looks like he doesn’t know-“ Archie doesn’t let him finish sending him crashing into the sidewalk looking unimpressed as he and rest of the Ghoulies flee.

“Hey, here.” He grabs the bag easy enough handing it back to her.  
“Listen, you want me to walk you home? I know-“ Archie doesn’t finish as she grabs his hand after putting her bag back on.  
“Okay, where do you live?”  
“I live in Sunnyside, I’m Aza.”  
“Nice to meet to Aza; I’m Archie. Do those Ghoulies always bother you like that?”  
“No, normally I walk with my brother, but he had to work late so I had to walk home without him.” Archie nods.  
“He’s only working late cause he wants to save up to go a date.”  
“Oh he does?” Archie laughs a little and Aza joins him.  
“He says I don’t have to worry about that for a while. Do you like boys; cause my brother says he does but boys are awful.” Archie coughs.

“Yes I do, but I also like girls.”  
“Oh, that make sense. What kind of boys do you like? My brother says he likes stupid ones. Well the one he wants to take on a date is stupid.”  
“Oh have you met him?”  
“No he goes to school with my brother though, the serpent’s say he’s smitten and that he gets all ‘gross’ whenever they talk. My brother’s not good with his feelings.”  
“Oh, my friends say I’m not either.”  
“Oh! You can practice with me, my brother says I’m a great listener!”  
“Oh, well that would be nice.” Aza nods beaming at him.  
“We got at least another ten minutes to walk!” She nods and Archie sighs.  
“Well I like a boy too, but we’re, well we’re not friends at all.”  
“Then go make friends with him!”

“Well I can’t; I was mean to him, because I thought he was going to be mean to me.”  
“Well that’s dumb, just say your sorry and buy him a present! Then he’ll have to forgive you.”  
“I don’t think I can just buy him a present, I don’t even know what he likes.”  
“Well then buy him food! Everyone likes food! Oh you could go to Pop’s! They have the best milkshakes ever.” She nods and Archie smiles.  
“I’ll keep that in mind.”  
“No one can be mad about a milkshake.” She smiles and Archie nods to the entrance of Sunnyside.  
“No you have to walk me all the way home, it’s a gentlemanly thing to do!” Archie swallows nodding.  
“Okay, lead the way.” He lets Aza take his hand once more as she winds past the trailers occasionally waving at people. He cringes when she bangs on the trailer door.  
“Christ what do- Aza, what on earth took you so long! I was about to- Andrews?”

“Hey Sweet Pea, there were some Ghoulies harassing her so-“  
“There were what? Which way did you walk??” Sweet Pea crouches down to Aza’s height as he talks. She seems unbothered and smiles at him.  
“The normal way we go, by the gym the Northsider owns!” Archie quirks an eyebrow.  
“Okay that’s fair, go get started on your homework then.” Sweet Pea steps out mostly shutting the door.  
“Thank you.”  
“Of course, I’m not going to let anyone get hurt if I can help it.”  
“I mean it Archie, thank you.”  
“ I know Sweet Pea.”  
“I owe you.” Archie shakes his head.  
“You don’t; forget about it.”  
“No, I’ll buy you Pop’s come on.” Archie narrows his eyes towards the door.  
“What?” Sweet Pea turns to see Aza peeking out of the doorway.  
“What did you tell him you little devil!” She laughs ducking back and closing the door over. Sweet Pea hangs his head.  
“What did she say?”

“She told me about her day.” He lies, Aza winks at him.  
“Oh, well that’s not too bad.”  
“I’ll see you at school.” Archie turns feeling Sweet Pea’s hand on his shoulder.  
“Archie, let me buy you Pop’s seriously, to thank you, otherwise we’re going to have to do that whole ‘I’m indebted to you for saving my sister’s life so now I must save yours’ bullshit that I’m not here for.”  
“Okay fine.” Archie laughs.

Sweet Pea looks up from his burger a handful of times, each time he sees Archie looking away nervously.  
“What? Do I eat like a Southsider or somethin’ dumb?”  
“No I was just gonna get a shake what flavour do you want?” Sweet Pea pauses.  
“Chocolate.” Achie nods standing and ordering.  
“So what did Aza really talk to you about, she’s a chatter box; no way she just talked about her day.”  
“Well first off I never knew you had a sister, and secondly she gave me dating advice.” Sweet Pea snorts nodding.  
“Sounds like her, she’s convinced if I follow her advice I’ll actually have a chance at a relationship.”  
“She seemed very considerate, your crush being stupid an all.” Archie smirks and Sweet Pea looks horrified.  
“She told you?”

“She told me your crush was an idiot and you both went to school, I mean I know its not Fangs cause he’s twice as smart as you, and-“  
“She told you it was a guy???”  
“Yeah, Sweet Pea it’s fine chill, no one cares.”  
“There’s only so many stupid guys in Riverdale high, you’ll find out-“  
“Oh my god is it Reggie???”

“No, Reggie’s way smarter than you and- FUCK.” Sweet Pea glares as the waitress sets his shake down trying to hide her smile. Archie sips his to try not to laughs.  
“Your sisters advice was solid by the way; apparently no one can say no to a milkshake you included.”


	3. Intro

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Archie never dated Veronica, Jughead introduces him to the Serpents

“Jughead it’s fine I don’t need to meet them, if they don’t want to.“  
“Archie?” Jughead nudges him as he watches Toni, Fangs and Sweet Pea walk nervously into Pop’s.  
“Nothing they don’t look like I expected.”  
“What were you expecting?”  
“You, you’re the only Serpent I know.” Jughead laughs.  
“You didn’t tell me anything about them! What was I supposed to think?”  
“What happened?”

“Archie thought you guys were just going to be like carbon copies of me.”  
“You told me nothing about them! You just said you wanted me to meet some friends; that were Serpents.”  
“Wow pretty vague on that, any reason why Jones?” Jughead shrugs.  
“Didn’t know how he’d take meeting you all Toni.”  
“He doesn’t seem like the type to be scared off easily. I’m Fangs, by the way. Since someone is bad at introductions.” Fangs smiles sitting next to Jughead, Toni scoots next to him and Archie watches he other Serpent sit next to him.  
“Sweet Pea.” He extends his hand  
————————————————————————————

Archie’s confused when an unknown number texts him. He’s half asleep it’s nearing one am but he flips his phone squinting in the sudden light.  
“Jones gave me your number, said you needed someone to talk to.” Archie frowns, starting to reply before the number lights up; calling him.  
“Who the fuck-“  
“Calm down Andrews; Jones said you were going through some shit with your parents. Said he didn’t know how to help. Want to grab Pop’s? We can talk if you want.”  
“Sweet Pea?”  
“No it’s Cheryl Blossom. Yes it’s Sweet Pea. You in for Pop’s?”  
“No it’s like two am.”  
“Almost one am actually; besides tomorrows Saturday.”  
“No Sweet Pea.”  
“You’ve forced my hand.” Is all he says before he hangs up, Archie grimaces as he hears a soft thump in his yard. He can’t help it, peering out his window to see Sweet Pea grinning up at him; he cracks his widow open.  
“What was that?”  
“I fell from the tree.”  
“Why were you in the tree?” Sweet Pea just grins. Archie sighs nodding.  
Sweet Pea meets him at the door grinning.  
——————————————————————————

It takes two more weeks for them to officially tell Jughead, Toni and Fangs they’re dating. FP finds out when Jughead leaves to pick up Fangs for their annual sleepover, and Sweet Pea and Archie are half undressed when FP grabs the leftovers from the fridge.

FP refuses to let them live it down, and brings it up any time any of the Serpent’s have Chinese food. They both agree it’s best not to tell any of the Northsiders. Archie feels guilty about lying to everyone, but they also never bother to ask, no doubt assuming his rejection of Betty meant he didn’t want any sort of relationship. He doesn’t correct them, and is relieved he doesn’t need to reject anyone else.  
————————————————————————————–

Archie’s not surprised at how good Sweet Pea is at sneaking into his room. He’s almost used to it and usually cracks his window open for Sweet Pea to slide into. Of course the tapping wakes him up and he slides his window open as Sweet Pea scrambles in.  
“Sorry; coulda sworn i left it open before I went to practice and- Wait, did you just climb up the side of my house?”  
“Yes? I mean there’s a couple of loose siding panels so I can use those as holds; it’s not that hard to manage.”  
“Seriously? You just scaled the side of my house??”  
“Well yeah? It’s to see you, why wouldn’t I?”  
“How do you normally get up?”  
“Like that? is there another way?”  
“Did you not notice the ladder on the side of the garage???” Sweet Pea leans his head out the window eyes tracking to the garage where he sees the ladder leaning folded up against it.  
“Oh. Huh, now that you mention it, that would be a lot easier.” He grins as Archie pulls him in for a kiss.  
“You’re an idiot Sweets.”  
“I’m your idiot; so it’s okay. I’ll be the trophy husband to your professional football and wrestling careers.”

——————————————————————————-

It’s Kevin who casually mentions he heard his dad was planning a raid on Southside High; they’d received a tip that someone was manufacturing Jangle in the school. Archie knows he’s saying it more to Jughead, to warn him, but Archie can’t help store the information away. When Jughead leaves nervously jerking away from the table, Archie follows.  
“Jughead it’ll be fine; it’ll.”  
“It’s a raid, they’ll arrest anyone in the way. Regardless of what they do, how do you think they’ll react when they find out Sweet Pea’s a runner?” He snaps and Archie frowns.  
“Listen I know Sweet Pea is just trying to help everyone out and-“

“Of course you know that, but the Sheriff doesn’t; Hiram doesn’t give a shit as long as he can keep buying out the Southside. Till he can throw everyone from the Southside into his new prison.” Archie nods following Jughead and swinging over on his bike.  
“You think we’ll be there in time?” Jughead doesn’t answer as he cuts through another alleyway. They practically run into Toni and Fangs, both who stumble back towards the bike.  
“Where Sweet Pea?’ Archie looks around nervously. Fangs laughs.  
“He stormed outta English when the teacher called his essay unrealistic. He’s been back at his place for the past two hours.” Archie doesn’t think he’s ever been more relieved to hear about Sweet Pea’s temper getting the best of him.  
———————————————————————————–

Archie pulls him into a hug when he finds Sweet Pea sitting in his room.  
“What’re you hugging me for?”  
“I thought you were gonna get caught up in the raid.”  
“Aww You care about me that much?” He laughs when Archie’s face pinks.  
“I think it’s just cause you don’t wanna be a prison wife isn’t it.” Sweet Pea smirks as he leans over and kisses Archie.  
“I mean if they offer conjugal visits I have no qualms.”  
“I’d prefer my son to not be dating a felon though.” Archie jumps back from Sweet Pea’s arms.  
“Hey Mr. Andrews.”  
“Sweet Pea it’s Fred, although with the way things seemed to be going it’s apparently going to be dad-in-law.”


	4. Relocation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Family Bonding: Sweet Pea and Archie become step brothers and learn to work out their differences

To Fred Andrews credit he doesn’t panic when FP and Jughead show up at one am rambling about Hiram’s plan to buy out the Southside. He waits, until they’d been fed, and are sleeping to call Mary at three thirty and panic to her. She assures him that it’ll sort itself out and that he should focus on not altering Hiram or anyone outside of the Serpent’s about what is happening. It takes her three hours to find a flight. It takes Sheriff Keller an hour to bring the Serpent kids in.

Toni’s let go within the first ten minutes, it takes them half an hour to release Fangs. Sweet Pea’s told he’ll be spending his night there. Sheriff Keller watches as Archie and Fred hang around slightly too long.  
“You two need to clear out and; hey Mary, just telling Fred and Archie that y’all need to clear out so;“  
“I’m Sweet Pea’s lawyer.” Sheriff Keller sighs and shakes his head.  
“Alright, follow me.”  
“I know you don’t want to do this Tom.” He nods shrugging.  
“It’s what I was told to do, the mayor, and Hiram-“  
“I know. It’s not your fault.”  
———————————————————————–

Archie’s not upset with his dad; he doesn’t care that much, Sweet Pea had slept over more days that he wasn’t and Fred has casually mentioned that since Sweet Pea was emancipated it really didn’t need to be anything official: of course Mary refused anything else when Sweet Pea mentioned it while she was visiting.  
“Come on it’ll be funny, you know those cute little family photos.” She tries to angle it like that and Sweet pea shrugs Archie however seems upset on his behalf.  
“That you do for kids when they get adopted?”  
“You’re seventeen, we’re doing it.” Sweet Pea doesn’t say anything against it; sitting holding the chalkboard sign Mary had written for him. Archie can’t help but laugh and it quickly turns to annoyance when she makes Archie join him.  
“Look at it this way, we could have gotten matching outfits.” Fred chimes in and they both look horrified.

———————————————————————————–  
Sweet Pea glares from over the beer he’d pulled from the fridge.  
“Here.” He shoves an open one into Archie’s hands before he can say anything.  
“Now you’re an accomplice. Can’t rat me out.”  
“I don’t give a shit about rattin’ you out, you know that right? All that does is put more stress on dad which I’d like to avoid.”  
“Well if you weren’t such a stuck up Northsider then-“

“I’m not. You’d know that if you actually hung out with me, or listened to Jughead.” Archie snaps. Sweet Pea doesn’t say anything taking anther drink from his beer.  
“I don’t like this anymore than you do-“  
“So go back to the Southside, you know no one will give a shit. Go back to your trailer where you can exist however you want and not have to deal with me pissing you off for being a Northsider.”  
“I can’t.”  
“Yes you can; it’ll be-“

“Sheriff Keller said if he saw me back on the Southside he’d lock me up, considered it trespassing or some bullshit; so I’m stuck, on the Northside.” Archie stays quiet swallowing.  
“Yeah, so believe me; if I could I’d go back in a heartbeat; but I’d rather not get thrown in Hiram’s prison.” Archie nods.  
“Sorry; I didn’t realize-“  
“No you didn’t ask. If you actually asked I would have said something.”  
“Would you? Really? I don’t exactly pin you as the most talkative of the group; you’re the big brooding silent type.”  
“And you’re the dumbass jock; see we can play the cliché game all you want; doesn’t change where we are now.” Sweet Pea finishes his beer nodding to Archie as he passes him to go to the garage.  
“Sweet Pea; listen, just; you can talk to me if you need.” Archie smiles and Sweet Pea smirks back.  
“I know; I just did.”

Things seem easier after that, despite both of them getting chewed out by Fred, Mary assuring them she’s just happy they drank at home instead of out where someone could have seen. They eat dinner together and seem content to argue mindlessly about movies and video games. Archie scream as Sweet Pea for eating pineapple on his pizza and Sweet Pea screams back how Archie wouldn’t know a good comic book if it was printed on his face. Overall they seem to reach a content middle; they wait at least a week before telling everyone outside of the Serpent that Sweet Pea moved. Betty pretends to be shocked, both Jughead and her window had given her a clear picture of where Sweet Pea was living. Veronica, Kevin and Cheryl have no reaction beyond a nod; even reggie doesn’t bother with saying anything.  
——————————————————————————————

It’s been a week, nobody says anything to either Archie or Sweet Pea, assuming they ignore each other in order to avoid fighting and dragging any drama back home. Archie can tell that everyone is waiting for it to blow up; for one of them to snap at the other and for the precarious truce they formed from Sweet Pea living with Archie to dissolve.  
It takes two days an a misplaced English essay for them to blow up. It’s not anything noticeable; they both stay silent as usually, but during lunch they hiss and glare at each other anytime that they would usually converse. The Ghoulies that hover on the fringes almost audibly purr as Sweet Pea storms off. They wait for a moment, no one following him; letting him cool off, letting them attack.

Sweet Pea decides it’s just easier to leave, to avoid getting into a fight that’ll drag out all the way back to the house and risk Fred getting involved and giving him the eyebrow’s of dissappointment. He steps away from the lunch table nodding, Archie nods back he knows he’s not actually upset at him; as he walks away. Archie nudges Jughead when he sees a few other figure’s retreating the direction Sweet Pea went.  
“Ghouls.” He hisses under his breath and Archie stands, running over.  
“Can Y’all fuckin’ not.” Archie hisses, Sweet Pea looking up from where he leers over a ghoul, fist crashing into his cheek repeatedly.

“Sweet Pea get the fuck off him; that’s not fair and you know it.” Archie shoves him with his foot and the ghoul under him wiggles his fist free slamming it into Sweet Pea’s eye.  
“Fucking Christ.” Archie hisses hauling the ghoul up and slamming him into the wall. He can see the other ones retreating and he rolls his eyes, turning back to hit the one he’s hold cringing when he ducks slightly, Archie’s hand scraping against the brick.  
———————————————————————

“It was my fault. I should’ve have been so bothered about it.” Sweet Pea shrugs at Archie’s grab for the blame. Fred just sighs, handing a bag of frozen corn to Sweet Pea to cover his swollen eye. He holds his hand out ad Archie places his bloodied knuckles onto the table. He pulls out disinfectant and bandages.  
“We were being stupid.”  
“I know. You don’t need to tell me that.It’s good you two aren’t at each other’s throats but if you two are supposed to be family now you at least need to act a bit more like it. The silent treatment doesn’t really work.”  
“Yeah, we’ll work on it.”

“Good, Sweet Pea like I’ve said before you’re welcome to the guest room, instead of the couch or the garage. You know that right?” Sweet Pea nods.  
“You should take it, might be easier to be a family if you’re in the house.” Archie volunteers; Fred doesn’t say anything but they can both see some of the tension in his shoulders is gone.  
“Thanks Dad.” Sweet Pea means it as a joke, not something to be taken seriously. He’s about to apologise to Fred, with how he seems to be frozen.  
“No problem son.” He shrugs turning away from the towards the fridge. Neither Archie or Sweet Pea comment on the mistiness in his eyes.


	5. Sick Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Archie’s sick with the stomach flu and Sweet Pea takes care of him. College AU

“You know coach is going to kill you for staying out all night drinking.” Sweet Pea hovers by the bathroom door they share.  
“Not; drinking.” Archie cringes, when he vomits into the toilet once more.  
“Well then why is there puke in the shower.”  
“Couldn’t fine the toilet, vision went funny.” Sweet Pea sighs as Archie sits back leaning against the wall.  
“Come on, lets get you in bed.”  
“But-“ He gestures helpless to the bathroom and Sweet Pea shakes his head.  
“One it’s what trash cans are for, and two I’ll clean it.” Archie doesn’t protest as Sweet Pea tucks him into the couch.  
“Sweets-“  
“No, rest.”  
“Stay.” Archie croaks out and Sweet Pea waits a moment, as Archie seems to fall asleep.

“I’ll be back once I clean your puke.” He’s pulling out the bleach from under the dorm’s sink when Reggie drags himself out and collapses on the couch.  
“You look like death.”  
“Stomach bug’s been floating around. Entire team caught it.”  
“So there’s no practice today?” Reggie nods groaning and gripping his head.  
”Everything is spinning I want to die.”  
“Wait, does this mean there’s none of the footballers in the café?”  
“Please don’t talk about food.”  
“I’m gonna get so many fucking pancakes.” Sweet Pea claps to himself returning to the dorm room he shares with Archie and cleans the vomit from the shower. He’s thankful for the burning hot water and the missile like water pressure as it cleans most of the vomit by just turning the shower on.  
“Now pancakes.” He smirks pleased as he makes it down to the Café to find it almost empty.

“Jones! Where’s everyone?”  
“Apparently everyone who went to the game got that stomach flu, something from the food stand I guess.” He smirks and Sweet Pea laughs.  
“The one time you’re happy you stay in.”  
“Say the one who was up studying for the history exam.” Jughead laughs.  
“I thought that was going to be today, not next week.”  
“So how’s Archie?”  
“Asleep on the sofa, for now. I’m bringing him back some toast; you going to survive down here?”  
Jughead just laughs and Sweet Pea rolls his eyes.  
“Course, I’m in my element.” Sweet Pea nods returning to his room.  
“Archie? You alive?”

A faint groan is all he gets in response and he smirks a little before he places the toast on the table.  
“I got toast. Did you puke while I was gone?” Archie shakes his head cringing as it no doubt makes him feel sicker.  
“Good, eat the toast.” Archie groans but Sweet Pea watches his hand fish around for the plate.  
“Do you need me to feed it to you?” Sweet Pea questions watching Archie poke his head from under the blankets; he smirks before he opens his mouth nodding.

“I have half a mind to stuff my fist in there, how’d you like a knuckle sandwich punk?” Archie starts laughing which leads to him coughing, which leads to Sweet Pea scrambling to get the trash can, and managing to slide on his knees waiting holding the trashcan under Archie’s mouth before Archie sits up as he leans back on the couch.  
“Water please.” Sweet Pea nods filling a glass and holding it to Archie’s lips.  
“I’m not dying; it’s fine.”  
“Oh so you don’t want me to cuddle you to help with the chills? Or give you the remote? Or the toast?”  
“I might be dying a little bit.” Sweet Pea shakes his head laughing before moving to kiss Archie. Archie slams his hand into Sweet Pea’s lips.

“No! I’ll get you sick!!!”  
“Babe, I’ve been around you for the past two days. If I was going to get sick I already would have. Besides Jughead said it was something in the concession stand, pretty much the entire team and the Cheer squad got sick.”  
“So I didn’t miss practice?” Archie mumbles and Sweet Pea nods nudging him to sit up more as he sits next to him.  
“Babe; I’m dying. I need cuddles.”  
“Of course you do. Toast first.”  
“Babbbeeee” Archie whines as Sweet Pea stands back up.  
“I’m getting you water, it’ll take five minutes at the very most. The I’ll be back and you can strangle me with your love.”  
“If you die who will get me toast?”  
“Call Reggie, he’s on the couch still I think.”  
“Reggie won’t cuddle me like you do.”

“WellI hope he wouldn’t I’m your boyfriend after all.” Sweet Pea pulls Archie against him.  
“You’d make a good doctor.”  
“You’re not just saying that cause I’m hot right?”  
“Maybe a little.” Archie laughs trying to grab the remote from him.  
“Sweets!! I’m sick, I’m gonna die if we don’t watch tv!!”  
“And what are we watching?”  
“The new season of Queer Eye came out.”  
“So you want to puke and cry, alright then, I’ll get the tissues.”  
“I’ll fall asleep before the first episode is over.”  
“I’m holding you to that.” Archie nods curling into Sweet Pea who pulls the blanket over them as he pulls up Netflix.


	6. Sick Day Pt 2.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sweet Pea catches it

Archie’s watching Sweet Pea out of the corner of his eye. While everyone seems to be on the way to a speedy recovery both Jughead and Sweet Pea seem exhausted.  
“That’s what you get for taking care of everyone like a mom you idiots.” Reggie grins and Jughead swats him away.  
“Not my fault Betty and the cheer squad decided to stay at Cheryl’s.”  
“Yeah so you got stuck on dorm duty with us.”  
“Yeah and I’m pretty sure you guys got me sick.” Jughead hisses pressing his forehead against the wall.  
“Same with Sweets if his face is anything to go by.” Toni snorts nodding from Jughead to Sweet Pea; both of whom look even paler than usual.  
“To be fair I was only around Arch so technically Jughead has like what five more exposure’s than me.”

“That’s not how diseases and infection work. It’s actually-“  
“Fangs if you say two more words I’ll throw all your petri dishes into the trash.”  
“I need those for my thesis!”  
“I know; it’s disgusting, two years ahead of us already Mr. ‘I tested out of all my basic credit classes’ piece of shit smart ass snake.” Reggie grumbles grinning as Fangs shoves his shoulder.  
“I’m gonna head out.” Jughead nods and Sweet Pea stands following.  
“Sweet Pea?” Archie questions as Sweet Pea half speed walks out.  
“Ten bucks says he’s gonna come back and say he puked.” Fangs comments. Toni and Reggie shake his hand in agreement.  
“Twenty says he blames Andrews.” Reggie grins.  
“Fifty says Jones blames me.” Fangs grins when Sweet Pea and Jughead return both shivering.

“Arch; I just threw up and it’s your fault.” Reggie smirks, and Fangs arches his eyebrows as Jughead sighs sinking into his chair.  
“What happened?”  
“Sweet Pea threw up and then I was going to help him and then I puked cause I thought about your stupid petri dishes and it fucked up my stomach.”  
“So why did you two come back here if you just puked?”  
“To let you guys know.”  
“So go back to your rooms then? I don’t really want to catch it again if I can help it.” Reggie grimaces shoving Sweet Pea and Jughead back.

“Jesus fine; god footballers are dicks.” Jughead grins watching Sweet Pea reach back for Archie who nods and moves with him back towards the elevators and their room.  
“Please don’ puke in the elevator; please.” Archie hums and Sweet Pea leans against him.  
“Jesus I didn’t sweat this much when I was sick.”  
‘You did, just ended up on the bathroom floor.”Sweet Pea grumbles.  
“I’m gonna puke again.”  
“Can you wait like four seconds; please, just don’t puke in the elevator or-“ Archie shoves the plant pot towards Sweet Pea when he half coughs as the door opens.  
“Oh god that poor plant.” Jughead chuckles head between his legs on the couch.

“You look like Reggie.”  
“Everything keeps spinning and it hurts and- Archie put me down!” Jughead glares as Archie tugs him half onto his own shoulders dragging both of them into the dorm room he and Sweet Pea share.  
“You stay on the couch, Sweet’s get to bed.”  
“Wheres the plant?”  
“I left it for Fangs.”  
‘What the fuck happened to the-Archie!!!” Sweet Pea and Jughead try not to laugh as they can hear Fangs making towards the door.Archie shoves a trashcan to Jughead and another towards Sweet Pea who hovers by the door to watch as Archie opens it to Fangs.  
“Did you let Sweet Pea puke in the plant?”  
“It was that plant or the elevator and-“

“Okay good; Jughead come on; don’t bother Archie and Sweet Pea; come on; lets get you back;” Fangs cringes when Jughead pukes into the trash can.  
“Uhhh on second thought, enjoy the couch; I’ll pick you up when you’ve stopped vomiting okay?” Jughead lets a muffled grunt and curls under the blanket Fangs shoves on top of him before leaving.  
“For a bio major he sure hates biological functions.” Archie comments  
“Cause of his mom.” Sweet Pea slurs before puking and Jughead nods.  
“Oh right; she’s doing okay right?”  
“Yeah, transplant seems to be holding still; can’t believe Edgar actually did something decent with all that shit.”  
“Doesn’t make up for- Sweet Pea Jesus Christ don’t move.” Jughead peers over the couch smirking as Sweet Pea’s slowly sliding down the door frame looking exhausted.

“Arch just leave him; he can survive a couple hours on the floor.”  
“He can; but like hell if I’m going to let him.” Archie nods tugging Sweet Pea up and hauling towards the bed, tucking him into the comforter they have.  
“Just stay there. Please; just sleep as much as you can off.” Archie sighs as Sweet Pea grips his arm trying to tug him back into the bed.  
“I’m just going to let Jughead know where I am and where the-“  
“I know where your kitchen is this is basically one massive box room.” Archie sighs curling around Sweet Pea.  
“Please don’t puke on me; its what trashcans are for.” Archie laughs as Sweet Pea nods.


	7. Tonsils

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Archie comes home from work and ends up needing his tonsils to be taking out

Sweet Pea was half paying attention to the tv that he’d turned on and half trying to sleep; he’d been doing overtime on his night shift at the Wyrm; mostly because Toni was distracted by Cheryl whenever she’d come in and Jughead decided it was easier to cut her hours than have her wasting her time on the clock getting paid to sit with her girlfriend. The Wyrm wasn’t busy enough for Jughead to justify calling Fangs in to help Sweet Pea; and Sweet Pea assured him he didn’t mind either way; night shift pay was too good to ignore. He frowns when he hears the door opening and blinks at the sliver of sunlight.

“Arch?”  
“Don’t feel well; dad sent me home.” He grumbles and Sweet Pea smiles.  
“Aww Arch, come here, what’s wrong?” Archie huffs curling into Sweet pea’s arms.  
“Throat and mouth hurt.” He winces resting his head against Sweet Pea’ chest.  
“Do you want me to get Pop’s?”  
“Hurts to swallow.” Archie whines and Sweet Pea laughs.  
“What?”  
“You can just spit instead.” He laughs until Archie smacks his shoulder.  
“Okay fine Mr. Drama Queen; I meant a shake anyways, not a burger and fries. I have to go out, and I can tell Jones I’m taking tonight off to take care of you.”  
“I’ll be fine Sweets.”

“So Strawberry or Vanilla?” Sweet Pea tugs his shoes on.  
“Both?”  
“So I get vanilla for myself and then you steal it cause you puppy dog eye me into giving you a ‘sip’ which we both know is-“ Sweet Pea laughs when Archie scowls at him.  
“I might be dying Sweet Pea, and the only thing that can save me the rest of your vanilla shake.”  
“I haven’t even left the house to get it!”  
“I know.” Archie laughs but cuts himself off grimacing and hissing in pain.  
“Want me to grab some of that throat numbing spray as well?” Archie nods pulling over the glass of water Sweet Pea had gotten for himself earlier.

“So good news-“ Sweet Pea starts when he enters the house; Archie blinks sluggishly sitting up as he awakens.  
“Pop’s gave me an extra vanilla shake after I said how you robbed mine; bad news; it’s a kiddie one.”  
“This is like a third of a shake Sweet Pea.”  
“Do you really need that much sugar if you’re sick; nothing worse than a sugar crash when you’re sick.” Archie nods sulking and reaching out for the strawberry shake.  
“Wait you got a burger?”  
“And fries.” Sweet pea smirks.  
“I might be hungry.” Archie start and Sweet Pea rolls his eyes.

“I got you one too; I’m not a monster; however we might need to cut it up if you can’t even eat the strawberry without grimacing like when Joaquin stabbed you.”  
“You weren’t even there!”  
“I know and you’re already looking like you’re gonna bleed to death over a piece of fruit. We’re cutting the burger up so you don’t die.”  
“I didn’t die from getting stabbed; or-“  
“If you list all the ways you’ve almost died I’ll pour your milkshake down the sink.”  
“At least drink it if you’re gonna do that.”  
“Here.” Archie sits up as Sweet Pea pushes a plate with the burger cut into chunks.  
“Thanks.” Archie grumbles.  
“I also made a doctors appointment while I was waiting for the food.”  
“No.”  
“Yes, its in a hour so finish eating soon.” Sweet Pea kisses his forehead pulling his own burger over.

Archie glares at him the entire time he’s in car and as well while they’re in waiting room. He doesn’t look up as the doctor calls just nodding and standing. It takes two minutes and Archie hissing in pain before the Doctor nods.  
“Tonsils.”  
“So I have to get them removed?”  
“Has this happened before? We usually don’t remove them unless it’s happened before so-“  
“Oh really?”  
“Yes; it’s not as common in adults anyways; so we’ll just give you antibiotics and tell you to rest.”  
“So no surgery?”

“Do you want it? We’d rather not especially if it’s the first time this has happened and-“  
Archie sulks on the way back to the car.  
“You seem disappointed.”  
“I am.”  
“Were you expecting a week off and getting to eat ice cream while I tend to your every need?”  
“Well yes.” Archie kicks a rock and Sweet Pea laughs.  
“We can still do that; we’re adults, you can eat ice cream for a week if you want.”

Archie doesn’t say anything until two weeks later when Sweet Pea manages to catch him hacking into a tissue and it comes away more blood than phlegm.  
“It’s fine, my throat is raw and- I’ll get in the car.” He sulks once more as Sweet Pea narrows his eyes.  
“Ah back again. Well it seems like you’re going to have to get them removed so you’ll get to have a week of soft cold foods. To be fair it’s mostly room temperature soup. Things that are too cold or too hot will irritate it. It’s a simple out patient procedure; you’ll go in and be able to leave that afternoon.”  
“Will it be like when you get your wisdom teeth out?” Sweet Pea grins and the doctor shakes his head.

“Well timeline wise it will be, but he’s not going to be out of it, or go viral on youtube or anything.” Sweet Pea is the one to sulk on the way back to the car.  
“So I guess we should take tomorrow off?”  
“No just show up to work out of it on pain meds; your dad’ll love that!”

Archie’s quiet the way up and the way back and Sweet Pea thinks it because of nerves but on the way back Archie frowns and hisses in pain.  
“Once we get back I’ll get you some pain meds and-“  
“I bit my tongue.”  
“How?”  
“With my teeth.”  
“That’s not-Okay come on druggie.” Sweet Pea nudges him and pulls him from the car and Archie leans on him.  
“Are you playing this up to cuddle me.”  
“Yes. I’m not in pain when you cuddle me.”  
“Really? So you don’t want me to give you-“  
“Maybe a little pain.” Archie nudges his shoulder and Sweet Pea smirks.  
“On the couch then.”

“Bed’s better.” Archie pouts and Sweet Pea shakes his head.  
“No if your mouth is numb and you try to eat anything half of it is going to go on the bed; I’m not sleeping in cold soup or warm ice cream. So get on the damn couch.”  
“M gonna tell Jones you’re being a dick.”  
“He doesn’t care.”  
“He will.”  
“How? Actually I’m just going to chalk this up to the drugs and pretend you’re making sense and; Archie you can’t sleep yet; you need to eat something before you take your meds and then you can sleep.”  
“But-“  
“I will cuddle you while you eat. Jesus you’re such a baby when you’re sick.”


	8. Turf Fight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> during the Ghoulies raid Sweet Pea gets over powered and hurt and Archie’s comes to his aid

“Jughead you okay?” Archie calls from the window. Mad Dog grins and nods to the stairwell.  
“Go find him; I’ll meet up with Jones. We’ll meet at Pop’s in a hour.”  
“Just grab Sweet Pea and we’ll head after him!” Jughead shouts up nodding to Mad Dog who grins; hitting one of the Gargoyles that struggles to stand back up.

Archie walking back down the next floor; he’d been retracing his steps ducking his head into each of the rooms humming when they each came up empty.  
“Fucking shit.” He grimaces when he can hear Sweet Pea cursing and as he steps into the room he lets himself go mostly on autopilot as he knocks the two remaining gargoyles to the ground. The rest are struggling to restrain Sweet Pea; he’s about to question how Sweet Pea managed to get over powered when he spots a bat leaning next to the window, he can see the shimmer off blood and he glares at the gargoyles.

“Must be getting awful hot in those masks; why don’t you take them off so I get to see who’s face I’m punching.  
“You owe me ten bucks if one of them’s Tall boy.” Sweet Pea laughs before one of the gargoyle’s holding him punches him in the stomach.  
“You shot Tall boy.” Archie laughs and Sweet Pea grins; he can feel the hesiation from the Gargoyles.  
“That’s rich coming from the leader of the Red Circle.” Archie grins, watching as one of the Gargoyle’s lets his nerves get the better of him and shifts towards the bat. Archie lunges shoving him forward.  
“Shit he was supposed to hit the wall.” Archie cringes as the figure thumps out the window.

“It’s the first floor he’ll be fine; hopefully he has a concussion!” Sweet Pea chirps cheerfully as another Gargoyle swings for him.  
“Not today punk.” Archie’s picked up the bat and cracks him across the jaw.  
“Huh I never knew you knew how to play baseball.”  
“I’m a man of many talents.”  
“Do you dance?” Sweet Pea laughs grinning.  
“Are you trying to make a high school musical reference while we’re getting attacked?”  
“Well not anymore.” Sweet Pea grins and Archie glares.

“I meant we’re not being attacked the others left and- Oh that’s why they left.” Sweet Pea glares as he hears sirens.  
“Please be Jones, please be Jones.” Archie rolls his eyes grabbing Sweet Pea’s arm and pulling him towards the back of the apartments.  
“Can you run faster?”  
“Sorry I have a fucking head wound, it’s a little hard to see when I have four feet.”

“Shit really?” Archie waits for him to laugh once more and cringes when he doesn’t resting his head between his knees as they sit behind a car down the street.  
“We’re supposed to meet everyone at Pop’s can you make it that far?” Sweet pea nods closing his eyes.  
“Might take an hour but-“  
“We don’t have an hour; I just texted Jughead so he’s should be along soon enough and-“Archie jumps when the sirens boom and the car turns cornering them.

“FUCK YEAH IT’S JONES!!’ Sweet Pea shouts grimacing and clutching his head.  
“I let Jughead know.; you two are going to the hospital not- Archie; put the bat down.”  
“Sorry Sheriff.”  
“Oh come on you know I hate when people call me that.”  
“You say as you remain the Sheriff.” Sweet pea grins.  
“Shut it you; I’m taking anything you say as a lie cause of that cut on the back of your head; same goes for you; all this trauma is messing with your brain. Get in the car so I can drop you two to the hospital and then you two can go get shakes at Pop’s.”  
“I’m gonna need stitches. Oh my god I can feel my brain!!”

“Sweet Pea, your skull is too thick for that, it’s probably just a scab.” Archie sighs winding his arm around Sweet Pea’s shoulders.  
“Did you just comfort me and insult me at the same time?”  
“It’s a talent.”

Sweet Pea rests his head against Archie’s shoulder as Archie nudges his milkshake over so Sweet Pea can suck through the straw.  
“Jesus! Where the fuck have you two been!!!” Jughead glares and Archie returns it.  
“Where have we been? Where the fuck were you two!!! We were at the hospital cause Sweet’s got a crack on the head from a psycho Gargoyle with a baseball bat!”  
“Oh sorry I fell from a two story building I was a little distracted by my CONCUSSION.”  
“Can you stop shouting it’s making me nervous.” Jughead narrows his eyes at Sweet Pea.

“You’re lucky it hurts my head to yell otherwise you’d both be- Did you take the baseball bat?”  
“Well yeah; now they can’t use it.” Archie grins and Mad Dog holds his shake up in a mock toast.  
“To all of us, for surviving something I didn’t expect to be worse than prison.”  
“A raid?”  
“No fifth wheeling on a double date.”  
“How is this a double date?” Sweet Pea looks confused and Mad dog smirks.  
“You two;” He gestures to Archie and Sweet Pea and then to Jughead who’s pulled not only his burger order, but Archie and Sweet Pea’s as well.  
“And him and all that.”


	9. Strep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Strep throat is going around school and sweet pea and archie both catch it

Archie refuses to admit he’s leaning on Sweet Pea and Sweet pea will say the same. Fred Andrews manages to sneak a picture when they think he’s talking to the nurse and they’re too tired to move more than the faint grumble of a hello.  
“Nurse said it seems you two caught the strep throat going around; you both have fevers though so home it is.” Archie groans as he stands stumbling and slumping over to shuffle forward. Sweet Pea glares as his head thunks agains the wall now that Archie’s left his side.

“Alright come one you two. Bedrest and maybe ice cream if you feel up to it.”  
“’kay dad, nurse said I should get pills too, from the doctor.” Archie slurs coughing and cringing each time.  
“Archie I understood maybe five of those words, we’ll give it two days then make a doctors visit alright?”  
“Just up turn up here; Mr. Andrews.” Sweet Pea speaks coughing only slightly.  
“I know how to get home Sweet Pea. I’ve lived there for years.”  
“Wrong home.” He sighs slumping against the window shaking his head.  
“I’m pretty sure I’ve always lived on Elm street, now come on; out of the car, we’ll get you set up on the couch so you two can watch some horribly corny movie.”  
“Mr. Andrews I should go home I don’t want-“

“Archie’s already sick; besides he told me you live alone, what if you choke on a cough drop.” Fred nods as he nudges Sweet pea to sit on the couch placing a bowl of cough drops next to the two extra boxes of tissues.  
“We have strep throat, not a cold.” Archie glares at his dad.  
“Son, I’m almost fifty, I’ve had strep throat more times than you’ve been alive, leave the tissues alone.” Sweet Pea laughs into the blanket before it turns into a cough and he reaches for a tissue spitting phlegm into it grimacing.  
“See.”  
“Thanks dad.” Archie sighs leaning against the back of the couch, while Sweet Pea curls into the opposite side.

Archie wakes up to hear Sweet Pea mumbling and coughing as Fred sits in between them.  
“Sweet Pea it’s fine, we have the space; it’s no trouble, I don’t like the idea of you being home alone. Seriously it’s no problem; Arch is going to have to go to the doctor anyways it’s no problem.”  
“Allergic, it’ll cost more.”  
“What do you mean?” Fred questions and Archie ignores how he brushes sweet Pea’s hair back hand hovering to feel for a fever.  
“Allergic to Penicillin; the other medication costs more.”  
“That’s fine; you know strep can go away on it’s own, the antibiotics are just a precaution is all. Just in case. You don’t need to take it. There’s a bed in the spare room if you need; please, just ask.” Fred leave to the kitchen and Archie pretends to wake enough that Sweet Pea turns watching him.  
“S’okay you know.” Sweet Pea rasps.

“What?”  
“You hatin’ me still, I know being sick doesn’t change anything. Probably makes you hate me more. Stealing your couch and blankets.” Sweet Pea coughs, hacking as he reaches for the tissues which Archie nudges over.  
“If anything this is helping me view you as an equal; not that I don’t think you are just-“  
“Liar. I know you hate me; you turn away any chance you get.”  
“Scared.”  
“Scared? You have a gun, that way outranks any damage I could do to you.”  
“That’s why. I could hurt you worse, you were trying to defend your friends and I could’ve seriously hurt you, or them and-“

“It’s the past. Stop worrying over than shit, the guns gone anyways. Doesn’t matter anymore.”  
“It does; it-“  
“You gonna get another gun and wave it around? No, then it’s not a problem.” Sweet Pea grumbles putting a hand firmly on Archie’s shoulder.  
“You need to stop worrying about how everyone feels about you and-“ He breaks off for both of them to cough and Fred to peer his head in.  
“You two hungry? Try some ice cream at least.” He nods to them when they shake their heads. Sweet Pea chuckles when he’s offered a bowl.  
“What?”  
“Your dad worked at Pop’s.”  
“What makes you say that?” Archie tilts his head and Sweet Pea nods to the ice cream.

“He put a smiley face in the whipped cream, Pop’s used to to that when- when I’d get ice cream there.”  
“You went to Pop’s before coming to Riverdale?”  
“Yeah once or twice, it’s Riverdale’s best burger joint.”  
“It’s Riverdale’s only burger joint; it’s why it’ll never close.”  
“Could’a fooled me with that retro night they had.” He laughs and Archie turns confused.  
“You were there?” Sweet Pea shakes his head.  
“Nah, Fangs went to pick up shakes for everyone; he’s the reason Toni got with Cheryl.”  
“No he’s not, is he?” Archie questions and Sweet Pea smirks.

“Whatever that performance she put on he got a few clips of it, Toni lost the plot when she saw Cheryl on the roof.” Archie tries to laugh but it just devolves into a coughing fit with Sweet Pea hovering nervously with the tissue box.  
“Thanks, water’d be better if you-“ Sweet Pea moves to stand crashing onto the arm chair instead of towards the kitchen.  
“Jesus Christ Sweet Pea.” Sweet Pea cringes slightly gripping his head as he stands slowly.  
‘Sorry Mr. Andrews I-“  
“Are you okay?”  
“What?”

“Are you okay, here, sit.” Sweet Pea sits back and Archie drapes his blanket over Sweet Pea’s shoulders.  
“It’s fine, just stood up too fast. It’s fine; just a little dizzy.”  
“When did you last eat?” Sweet Pea turns to Fred.  
“I had breakfast it’s only like 11 now.”  
“Fangs said you didn’t-“ Sweet Pea glares at him and Archie keeps his gaze before Fred’s hand nudges his shoulder.  
“Sweet Pea, I can make you-“  
“No, it’s fine; really I can eat when I get home so you don’t have to do anything.”

“Just let my dad help you Sweet Pea. You won’t be weak, we’re not going to rat you out to the Serpents.” Sweet Pea sighs looking away from them and reaching for the tissues. Neither Fred or Archie say anything about him wiping his eyes.  
“I’m not scared of being weak; I don’t know what to do when people are nice to me, it’s just; it doesn’t make sense why anyone would help me. I’m nothing; not any good at anything besides being a snake.” He mumbles and Archie hesitates arm wrapping around his shoulders.

“You’re a good sick buddy; I heard from Fangs you’re great at movie commentary, you ever watch National Treasure?” Archie smirks and Sweet Pea laughs.  
“Are we really going to watch the declaration of independence get stolen?”  
“Did you know I convinced Jughead it was a documentary for an entire month.”  
“Seriously?” Archie nods and Sweet Pea almost chokes again as he laughs. He smirks pulling his phone and taking a picture of the loading screen captioning it with a “best documentary award goes to” Archie gets five angry texts in a row and both he and Sweet Pea have to take five minutes with there head between there knees while Fred pulls there phones away and dims the living room lights they end up laughing so hard.  
“I don’t want to have to explain to Dr. Curdle why you two died watching national treasure; that poor man goes through enough on his own.”  
“Yeah I hear people are dying to get to visit him.” Archie chokes on his water and Fred points at Sweet Pea in warning.


	10. Strep Pt 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> strep pt 2

Fred peers in after an hour and a half; they’re both asleep. He debates turning he tv off but the remote’s resting under Archie’s hand and he doesn’t want to risk waking either of them. He debates if he should wake them anyways to let them know he’s going out but decides against it. He leaves a note instead; sticking to not only the fridge but the coffee table as well so he knows they’ll see it. He tries to close the door as quietly as possible.  
Fred hates how the Southside is still looked down upon; while he’s relieved Archie seems to be disregarding the gossip and rumours he can’t help but worry about Sweet Pea; he knows he can take care of himself he has no doubts about his survival; but he has an idea of his home life from FP and Fred is trying his best not to buy a spare toothbrush and new bedsheets on his way to pickup the prescriptions he ordered.

Archie wakes up to the loading screen scowling and trying to make out the time. When that fails he sits up grumbling and coughing; Sweet Pea wakes as well his voice coming out in a dry wheeze.  
“Where’s your dad?”  
“Out? Oh;” Archie reaches forward grabbing the note his dad left.  
“He went to Pop’s without us; and to pick up medicine for us.”  
“But I-“  
“He said he’s getting you medicine whether you want it or not, you can pay him back by getting better.”  
“He didn’t write that!” Sweet Pea glare trying to suppress a cough. He grabs the note glaring as he reads it.  
“Ps. Sweet Pea; you’re taking the damn antibiotics.” He narrows his eyes.  
“Your dad sucks. He’s too nice.”

“He’s not really. Just my dad.”  
“Archie; have you met the rest of the parents in this town; your dad is an angel among them compared to all of them.” Archie shrugs looking from the tv screen to the kitchen.  
“What?”  
“Are you hungry?”

“Starved. Is there food we can make? Or will your dad kill us from moving from the couches.?”  
“I’m pretty sure he won’t know if we’re quick. Besides we can just have like soup or something soft I guess.”  
“Mac and cheese?”  
“That works.”  
“Hey do you have two pots out?”  
“Like hell I’m sharing mac and cheese with you; and your northside germs.”  
“Sweet Pea; we’re sick! In the same room…” Sweet Pea narrows his eyes pulling his head backwards eyeing Archie suspiciously.  
“Oh my god Sweet Pea; let it go.”  
“No.You’re gonna get me sicker.”  
“You got me sick!!”  
“Prove it!”  
“You were coughing all day yesterday.”  
“So was like half the school; how do I know it was Jones or Betty or someone else!”  
“It wasn’t-shit.”  
“Finally admitting I’m right.” Sweet Pea grins and Archie shakes his head turning the stove off.  
“You can’t put the pasta in when the water’s not boiled!”  
“You totally can it just takes longer to cook and-“  
‘NO! It gets stuck at the bottom and burns!”  
“Who the hell told you that Andrews?”

“I just know it. Obviously you don’t.”  
“If you blame it on the Southside…”  
“I was gonna blame ton your stupidity.”  
“Oh fuck you I just won’t share any of my Mac and Cheese with you then.”  
“There’s soup in the fridge you know that right?”  
Both Archie and Sweet Pea turn towards Fred who sighs as he closes the door.  
“Are you two at least feeling a bit better?”  
“Not enough to make pasta apparently then.” Fred answers his own question shaking his head and ushering them back to the couch.  
“I will make you both Mac and Cheese if you take your medication; Sweet Pea this is yours.” They sulk as Fred returns to the kitchen.  
“Why are there two pots?”


	11. Appendix

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sweet Pea stays over at the Andrews and realizes his appendix is an issue

Archie’s not a light sleeper so when he can hear Sweet Pea vomiting he knows something is wrong. Still he doesn’t wake his dad, just hovering behind Sweet Pea till he finishes puking.  
“What’s wrong?”  
“Hurts.” He hisses through grit teeth.  
“Where?”  
“Side stomach. It’s fine probably-“ Sweet Pea doesn’t finish stumbling and crashing into the wall as Archie helps him back to bed. They can hear Fred moving around and it’s not long before he appears in the doorway.  
“You two decent.”  
“Yeah, Sweet Pea puked and-“ They both cringe when the light flicks on however Archie gapes at Sweet Pea.  
“Christ you look gray, you sure it’s not food poisoning?”  
“Unless I got the only undercooked slices of pizza.” He shrugs a little and Fred watches him.  
“We should get you down stairs.”

“Why?” Sweet Pea questions and Fred crouches down, nudging his side, Sweet Pea hisses in pain.  
“Did it hurt more when I pressed or when I let go?”  
“Let go.”  
“Downstairs is a good idea.”  
“Why?”  
“Good news it’s not food poisoning; bad news, it seems like it’s your appendix.”  
“You know all that cause you jabbed my side?” Sweet Pea leans half over the stair railing as Archie walks down with him.  
“That and the fact you’re going from gray tinted to green to white with every movement.”  
“It’s fine, just probably-“ Sweet Pea bite on his hand when Fred once again jabs his side.  
“Appendix, we should go to the ER.”  
“No I can-“  
“You can die is what you can do if it’s not fixed. Right dad?” Archie looks worriedly and Fred nods.

“It wouldn’t be- Archie! Put Sweet Pea down!” Fred follows him out to the truck where Archie’s awkwardly trying to climb into the cab while still holding Sweet Pea.  
“Archie, calm down. We’re about a ten minute drive.”  
“I know.” Fred sighs at the tremor in Archie’s voice.  
“Arch; hey he’s gonna be fine, the worst he’s gonna have is a scar and two weeks worth of you doing everything for him; which he already has to put up with; look he’s asleep; it’s fine.”  
‘What if he passed out! Dad what if-“  
“You worrying isn’t going to help him.”  
“But-“  
‘the longer you talk the longer he waits.” Archie quiets immediately and the ride to the hospital is silent aside from Sweet Pea trying to convince Fred to take him back home.  
“I can just walk back from the hospital.”  
“You can barely walk without me holding onto you.”

“Maybe I just want you to think that.” Sweet Pea winks before stumbling as Archie catches him and pulls him back up.  
“I might’ve lied just now.”  
“You think?” Archie glares as Fred checks him in and then the nurses coral Sweet Pea onto a stretcher.  
“Any Allergies? Dietary restrictions?”  
“Penicillin and none.”  
“Alright, we’re going to do an ultrasound just to check if we can see anything, sometimes it’s not your appendix but an ulcer that flared up. But we’ll take you back now.”  
“So I’m gonna die right?”

“What?” Archie jerks from the seat he’d taken. Fred glares at Sweet Pea who nods.  
“Anytime you go straight back in the ER its cause you’re gonna die.”  
“Don’t say that.” Fred glares as Archie looks more distressed.  
“Sorry, I’m gonna be fine Arch; I bet I’ll be back in five minutes.”  
-Archie lasts twenty minutes after that before he starts pacing and Fred sends him down to the canteen to get them both coffee. Archie doesn’t drink his and Fred pries the cup from his shaking hands.  
“It’ll be fine, just rest, it won’t help him if you’re exhausted.” Archie shrugs but nods leaning against his dads shoulder.  
“Thank you.”  
“For what?”  
“Being here.”  
“Well I’m not leaving my son or his boyfriend alone to deal with this, god knows you don’t even know how to wrap your own hands for boxing half the time.”  
“I’m not ambidextrous, I can’t get them even.” Fred nods smirking.  
“Of course, nothing to do with Sweet Pea kissing you when he does it for you.” Archie scoffs turning his face away.  
“No that’s ridiculous.” Fred shakes his head sighing as he closes his eyes to rest.

“Dad, dad!” He cracks one eye open to see Archie peering at him.  
“What’s happened?”  
“Nothing it’s just been a full hour and no one’s said anything.”  
“You can go ask you know.” Archie nods and Fred sighs, pulling Archie back to sit down when he notices how shaky he is.  
It’s three more hours before anyone moves towards them and Fred keeps his hand on Archie’s shoulder to prevent him from body slamming the doctor out of the way. 

Sweet Pea looks surprisingly small and washed out on the hospital bed, he’s half awake; trying to focus on the shapes.  
“I got stabbed. So many times.” He half mumbles and Archie, who Fred didn’t even see move is sitting next to him.  
“No you just got your appendix out.”  
“Surgery is stabbing just legal.” He nods seriously and Archie turns away to laugh.  
“So he should be good to go once he wakes up more you can sign his discharge papers and-“  
“THEY SHAVED ME.” Sweet Pea looks up distressed to the nurses and the Andrews who seem shocked at his shouting; in reality they’re trying not to laugh once more.  
“I mean they did have to do surgery; it was probably cleaner overall.” Fred offers and Sweet Pea nods yawning.

“Alright I finished signing everything and called FP to let him know so he’s going to come settle up.”  
“Settle up?”  
“The Serpent’s have a medical fund; it’s normally not needed since they don’t get into many serious fights, but they all usually try to donate a bit in case.” Archie nods about to pick Sweet Pea up but the nurse pulls him back.  
“Hospital policy, wheelchair until he gets into the car or off the property.”  
“Oh sorry.”  
“It’s no problem.” She smiles offering the handles to Archie.  
“Back home then?” He questions and Fred nods.  
“I’ll have to pick up his prescription in a few hours; so you’ll be on nurse duty.” He nods sternly in response watching Sweet Pea lean into him.  
“I’ll be gone maybe an hour depending on wait times he should just sleep.” Fred leaves once he helps Archie move Sweet Pea onto the couch.  
“Is he gone?” Archie turns and Sweet Pea smirks.

“Were you awake the entire time.”  
“Sorta, lotsa drugs, lots of ‘em.”  
“Are you hungry at all?” Sweet Pea blinks nodding slowly.  
“What’s wrong.”  
“Food sounds good but also thirsty.”  
“You know you can have water and food right? It’s not one or the other.” Archie laughs pushing a glass of water towards him while he moves to the kitchen.  
“What do you want to eat, I don’t know if you’re allowed to eat everything you normally do. I think you can?”  
“Food.”  
“Wow so helpful.” Archie snorts.

“I love youuuuu.”  
“I know Sweets.”  
“No you don’t understand!!!” Archie peers in from the kitchen watching Sweet Pea trying to sit up.  
“Do you need help?”  
“No! You don’t love me!”  
“When did I say that?” Archie watches as Sweet Pea sighs managing to sit up slightly. He hisses and Archie appears next to him.  
“I’m fine christ.”  
“You just had major surgery!!”  
“It was my appendix.”

“Exactly!! It’s major surgery, if you don’t get it removed you can die!!!”  
“From infection, not the actual-“  
“Harry Houdini”  
“Infection!!! Not cause of the appendix so-“

“Eat.” Archie glares in place of arguing and Sweet Pea beams.  
“Thank you babe.”  
“You’re welcome, love.” Archie watches as Sweet Pea gasps at him trying to lurch forward but cringing and laying back on the couch.  
“Come herreeeee I wanna hug you! And cuddle! I’m dying so you have to do what I say.”

“First off, no I’ll be laying on your stitches; and second you’re not dying you’re like four hours too late to milk that.” Sweet Pea huffs crossing his arms.  
“What’s wrong, are you really that upset?”  
“Yes.” Sweet Pea glares at him and Archie sighs.  
“Okay what can I do to make it up to you then?”

“Cuddle me!” He nods narrowing his eyes and Archie nudges him.  
“There, here we can cuddle this way, I just don’t want to bump your stitches.” Sweet Pea nods, and Archie can tell he’s relaxed, half asleep.  
“Nurse Archie;” Sweet Pea pauses to laugh for a moment and Archie nods waiting for him to continue.  
“Will I ever walk again.” He mocks in a southern accent.  
“You had your appendix out, nothing to do with your legs. Why?”  
“I have to piss.” He half sits up and Archie move to help him stand.  
“I’m just walking you to the bathroom okay.”  
“Nothing you haven’t seen before.” He wink and Archie pinks slightly. Archie’s hovering by the door when he can hear Sweet pea stumbling and hitting what he hopes is the wall.

“Sweets?”  
The door swings open Sweet Pea half holding his pants and boxers up.  
“Look at this shit! They shaved me!!! What the fuck!!!”  
“Glad to see the pain meds wore off then.” Sweet Pea back up slightly into the bathroom closing the door and letting his head thump against the door. Fred waves the bag and they can hear pills rattling.  
“I have more pain meds if you want.”  
“It wasn’t what you think I swear-“ Archie starts and Fred laughs.

“He’s very bothered by being shaved.”  
“They did it while I was asleep!! There’s no telling what else they did!” He shouts through the bathroom door.  
“So he doesn’t know about the tattoo then?” Fred jokes and Sweet Pea stumbles out of the door.  
“The what? Oh; you were joking.” He sighs in relief and Fred nods.

“Back to the couch, you can’t be up so much after having just spent hours lying down.” Sweet Pea nods grumbling under his breathe as he settles back into the couch.  
“Archieeeee” he whines and Fred nods to him.  
“Go on; I’m not going to listen to your boyfriend whining all day for you to cuddle him.”


	12. Sickness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Archie and Sweet Pea have guardianship of sweet pea’s 7 year old sister

“Sweet’s I threw up..” Archie blinks looking at Aza.  
“Not Sweet Pea; you want me to wake him up or?”  
“He’s not here.” Archie doesn’t need to strain to hear Sweet Pea throwing up in the bathroom.  
“Oh you’re both sick then?” Aza nods and Archie sighs.  
“Do you feel like you’re going to puke again?”  
“No I-“ She nods frantically and Archie pulls the trashcan from under the bedside table.  
“There we go, hey it’s okay. If it’s something you ate-“  
“No we all at the same things today.” Sweet Pea interjects sniffling and trying his best to stop shivering.  
He sighs and Archie pulls the blankets around him tucking him in, he can feel the fever when he hovers his hand over Sweet Pea’s forehead. He turns to where Aza shakes and leans over the trashcan to puke again.

“Alright you want to go to the bathroom just in case? I can bring a blanket and sit with you if you want?” Archie questions and Aza nods, shaking as she curls into his side.  
“I know; I know being sick is never fun.” Aza scowls at him and he can’t help but laugh.  
“I’ve been sick plenty of times, trust me it never gets better.”  
“Wait, we’re never gonna get better!!!” Aza screeches and Sweet Pea glares as Archie shuffles her towards the bathroom.  
“I swear to god Andrews, just stay quiet and make sure she doesn’t puke in the bathtub like you did.”  
“That was one time!”  
“One time too many.” Archie can’t help when Aza laughs, before she doubles over vomit onto the bathmat.  
“At least it’s not the bathtub; so points to you for that.” He winks.  
-

With Aza sleeping between them, whatever hope Archie had of cuddling has flown out the window. He sigh watching the ceiling fan spin before he can hear Sweet Pea shuffling to vomit in the restroom. He stands stretching making his way to the kitchen to make tea for both of them.  
“Arch, you should stay at your dads.”  
“Little late for that, if I’m going to get sick it’s already in my system. There should be some soup in the freezer so I can thaw that out for y’all tomorrow.”  
“Archie, just; come here.” Sweet Pea almost whines and Archie nods pushing one of the mugs of tea into Sweet Peas hands and leaving the other to cool while Aza sleeps. Archie’s not sure when he falls asleep, but he’s aware just by looking next to him he’s gotten more sleep then both Aza and Sweet Pea combined. He tries his best to move silently and manages to make it to the kitchen and halfway through cooking a very boring breakfast of dry toast when he hears faint protests from the other room. He peeks his head in to see Aza practically climbing on Sweet Pea, both of them shivering and fighting to pull the blanket Archie had left over themselves. He rolls his eyes grabbing one of the blankets from the couch to give to one of them as he bring sin the toast.

“I got ginger ale as well if you guys need it. Do you know when you last puked?” He pushes the plates towards them and pulls the empty mugs from last night. Aza shrug and Sweet Pea closes his eyes sighing.  
“Like three am I think.”  
“So four hours ago, both of you should sleep more, after the toast of course.” Sweet Pea’s about to nod before he sneezes, plate clattering to the floor as he stares mournfully at the toast that’s now besides the plate.  
“Babe.” He sounds like he’s about to cry and Archie struggles not to laugh as he pulls the plate and toast up.

“I’ll make you some more. Aza do you want anything else?” She nods.  
‘Ginger ale; please.” She coughs as she finishes the toast and he nods. Archie returns to the kitchen after giving Aza her ginger ale, sweet pea appeared to be asleep so he left him for the moment. Aza follows him to the living room.  
“What’s up?”  
“Tv?” She questions wrapped in the blanket that had been wrapped around Sweet Pea. He hands her the remote watching as she flickers through channels. She falls asleep halfway through a rerun of spongebob and Archie watches three more episodes before Sweet Pea joins him, reaching over him to pull a box of tissues as he sneezes and hacks into them.  
“How do you feel?”

“Like I swallowed rocks.” His voice and breathing crackle at different parts. Archie pulls the blanket up on his shoulders and kisses his forehead.  
“You have a fever still, Aza’s seems to be gone; but to be fair that’s probably because she didn’t spend all day yesterday out in the rain, in a denim vest.”  
“I had a Serpent job!”  
“Yeah and now I do, looking after your dumb ass.” Archie smirks turning back towards the toast he’d abandoned.  
“Soup please.” Sweet pea glares at the toast and Archie shakes his head.  
“You have to be able to keep something down.”  
“So dry brittle toasted bread is the best thing? Not liquid chicken flavoured water?”

“Yes, do you know how easy it is to puke up soup?” Sweet Pea nods sulking as Archie hands him toast.  
“I love you.” He croaks pushing the empty plate away and closing his eyes leaning back against the couch.  
“I love you too, even if you manage to get crumbs everywhere.”  
“I’m sick I have an excuse.”


	13. Flu

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Archie sweet pea make peace after there fight in the rain especially since there stuck in the same house now that they both end up sick with jughead looking after them.

“If you two don’t stop death glaring I’m only giving you this baby asprin.” Jughead growls and Archie and Sweet Pea glare at him.  
“It was-“  
“I don’t give a shit which one of you threw the first punch, or how much of a dumb ass Doiley his stabbing his own leg.” Jughead pauses as they all chuckle.  
“If either of you try anything, especially with both of you this sick, I will withhold all medication and tissues.’”  
“Jesus regular Nurse Ratched over here.” Sweet Pea grumbles and Archie snorts.  
“Jug just, can you make us some soup, please!”  
“Fine!” Jughead shouts back from the kitchen.”

“Sweet Pea listen I get we’re going to be stuck here for a while where-“ Archie turns his head watching Sweet Pea struggling up and staggering towards the kitchen.  
“There’s trashcan’s next to you if you’re gonna puke; Sweet Pea get your ass back in the living room!!”  
“He was going to apologize Jones!! Apologize, I can’t listen to that Northside crap, then I’ll really puke!!” Archie watches as Sweet Pea half swaying and being shoved is moved back to the couch, shoved down by his shoulder and has a blanket forcefully tucked around his neck.

“If you move it better be to puke, you hear me.”  
“I’m cold.” Sweet Pea sniffles and Jughead groans.  
“You’re both using all the blankets, so like, just, I dunno cuddle for warmth. You’re both sick, not like you’ll catch it from each other. I’m going to finish the soup, well mainly watch it so it doesn’t burn and I don’t have to listen to you two struggle through some weird apology for trying to kill each other.”

“We’re not-“  
“If your dad gets home and you haven’t made peace..” Archie swallows sighing.  
“Come here.”  
“What? Is your dad that bad?” Sweet Pea looks nervous as he stumbles to where Archie pulls the blanket back. Sweet Pea blinks wrapped in his own blankets as he lines himself on the couch avoiding touching off of Archie.  
“Oh my god.” Jughead shakes his head shoving Sweet Pea so he crashes on top of Archie. They both glare at him, half coherent before settling down.  
“My dad’s not bad, he’ll just make us do this but worse.”  
“How can this get worse?”

“Dinner.” Sweet Pea groans shaking his head.  
“Don’t talk about food my head hurts.”  
“How does that even work?”  
“I have a headache and your voice is making it worse.” Archie snorts but pulls the blanket around him, Sweet Pea glares at him before Jughead returns with soup.  
“Sleep well?”  
“Didn’t sleep?” Archie grumbles and Sweet Pea nods hand reaching for the bowl Jughead hold out.

“You two have been out for half an hour. Look.” Jughead smirks holding his phone to them and they both squint at the bright screen to see an image of the couch, blankets heaped half off them, Archie’s half hidden by Sweet Pea, both of them having thrown arms over each other.  
“If you-“  
“If you two don’t start talking about everything going on, I’ll send this to Cooper.”  
“What’s Betty going to-“

“Alice.” Jughead smirks and both Sweet Pea and Archie pull the soup closer shuddering.  
“We’ll talk after food.” The mumble, once the soup has been finished Jughead taking the bowls and returning to sit on the chair in front of them.  
“I just; you’re from the Southside, but not like Jug, so-“  
“No I’m sorry I just assumed you’re like all Northsiders and want us dead and-“  
“Shut up let me finish.”  
“No give me a second and-“  
“You two realize you can move right?”

“Huh?” They look up frowning Jughead rolling his eyes pointing to the empty chair that Sweet Pea was inhabiting before he and Archie napped.  
“Effort.” Sweet Pea shrugs tangle himself back in the blankets and turning away from Jughead’s stare.  
“Hey no sleeping, you two need to talk it out.”  
“Talk later.” Sweet Pea groans.

“Jesus it’s like taking care of a two year old, Archie talk some sense into; why do I bother.” Jughead shakes his head slumping in his chair as Archie pulls the blankets fully over his head.  
“Fine, suffocate! I’m watching the cooking channel.” Jughead laughs when he catches Archie and Sweet Pea’s eyes tracking the chef’s movement on Chopped.


	14. Flu Pt 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Archie let’s Sweet Pea and Toni stay at his house while they’re sick

“Archie are you sure it’s not a problem?”  
“Yeah it’s fine my dad’s out of town anyways. I’m sure he’ll be happier to see this place as a makeshift hospital than trashed after a party.” Jughead sighs nodding.  
“As you know Sweet Pea’s a massive baby; Toni’s pretty okay on her own.”  
“Pretty okay?”  
“My balance is shot.” She grumbles leaning on Jughead who steps back and he and Archie watch her sway before she reaches for the door frame to steady herself.  
“Alright so you need an escort when you need to go places; got it.” Jughead helps her sit on the armchair and she glares.  
“I don’t need an escort I just need the room to stop spinning.” She scowls as she pulls a blanket over herself. Sweet Pea flops onto the couch yawning tugging the blanket over himself.  
“I’m cold and gonna die.”  
“You’ll be fine Sweet Pea; here’s another blanket.” Jughead nods throwing one from the closet over him.

“Jughead it’ll be fine they’ll just be sleeping mostly. It wont be that bad.”  
“You and him were whining the entire time and since you have that weird truce now I don’t want it ruined.”  
“It’s not a truce; we’re just sick!” Sweet Pea grumbles and Archie rolls his eyes.  
“It’s a truce Sweet Pea; as long as you’re in this house you’re safe from the whole northside vs southside thing. Same goes for you Toni.” She nods coughing into her sleeve and Sweet Pea glares.  
“Toni shhhh you’re loud.”  
“Says the one.” She hisses and hides her face with the blanket; Archie dims the light and turns the tv onto the cooking channel.  
“So soup? Any food allergies; no, good.” Archie nods to Jughead who looks unimpressed.  
“I’m supposed to leave Betty and I have this-“  
“You’re a Serpent leader you should take care of them.”  
“No I-“  
“Jones you’re like our daddddddddd.” Sweet Pea and Toni both laugh and Jughead scowls.  
“You two are lucky I didn’t drag you to Betty’s.”  
“Like her mom would let us within ten feet of her house.”  
“If they weren’t sick they wouldn’t be here.” Jughead assures Archie who shrugs.

“If they need a place to stay this is fine. I know my dad would kill me if I let two of my friends out on the street with nowhere to go. I don’t even want to think about what my mom would do.”  
“Come all the way out here to glare at you and use her lawyer voice.”  
“It’s scary okay!”  
“can’t be any scarier than your face!” Sweet Pea grins at himself.  
“His least favourite medicine flavor is cherry by the way.” Jughead smirks back and Sweet Pea looks betrayed.  
“Jones; how could you-“ It breaks off into coughing and Archie nods as Jughead uses it as an out to escape through the front door.  
“You scared dad awayyyy.” Toni half laughs and coughs Sweet Pea glares as Archie shoves the cough syrup into his hands.  
“There’s also cold and flu like asprin or whatever in the medicine cabinet if you want me to grab it?” Toni nods as Sweet Pea does.  
“You two should eat something. How does toast sound?”  
“Vile.”  
“Gross.” 

“Well I’m not going to give you something else and you guys puke it back up.”  
“Have you ever puked up bread? It sucks.”  
“I know; but it’s also like the normal ‘sick food’ so you’re getting toast.”  
“I’ll just make something myself.”  
“Sweet Pea you can’t even stand without spending ten minutes sneezing; sit back down and wait for me to make you toast; I can make soup as well if you two want.”  
“What kind of soup?”  
“Whatever we have?” Archie looks confused as Sweet Pea glares.  
“He’s picky about soup.”  
“Uhh there’s chicken soup, beef stock, and tomato; also cream of mushroom.”  
“No dairy.”  
“You’re allergic to dairy?”  
“No; just makes you sicker. And for your nose.” Toni sneezes.  
“Oh right, isn’t cheese supposed to give you nightmares if you eat it before bed.”  
“Oh yeah; do you think that’s true.”  
“Only one way to find out.” Archie grins, hand Toni and Sweet pea plates of toast; his has cheese on it.  
“You’re not going to bed right now.”  
“Oh yeah damn; I’ll put an alarm on my phone.”  
“To eat cheese?”

“Yes, also for you two to wake up.”  
“We’re not asleep! We haven’t even finished our toast… the asprin was drowsy wasn’t it.”  
“Yes, yes it was; sleep is the best medicine.”  
“I thought laughter was?”  
“Not when you have a sore throat.”  
“Since when are you a doctor.”  
“I survived a bear attack, I think I can treat the flu.”  
“Getting attacked by a bear is nowhere close to the same as a virus attacking your system.”  
“Bears are worse; so I’m better at-“  
“You ain’t got shit on southsider’s just cause you got attacked by a bear.”  
“Eat your fucking toast and let yourself be drugged.” Archie glares at Sweet Pea who grins.

“Fine, sure whatever Dr. Andrews.”  
Archie refuses to look at Toni and Sweet Pea who wear matching smug grins.  
“So how’re you feeling Dr. Andrews; did you nap help?”  
“Fuck both of you. And no I have a headache.”  
“Huh, weird, that’s how we felt yesterday; maybe you caught the flu; hopefully you’ll survive, I mean its no bear attack but..” Archie coughs, starting off a round of all of them half laughing half coughing.  
When Jughead finds them all, Toni is half watching some trashy reality tv and Sweet Pea and Archie are passed out on each other.

“Toni; you should try to sleep.”  
“They have 500 channel cable Jones, 500 channels.”  
“Scoot over. You feeling up for pizza?”


	15. Attack

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When the fake black hood shows up to mess with Archie; instead of Fred coming it’s was jughead and sweet pea since they were in the nieghborhood and heard the commotion

Archie’s not sure what’s about to happen; the way the black hood’s hand hovers makes his chest tight and he can’t hear his own heartbeat anymore. He’s shaking, watching the way the Black Hood’s hand trembles. He staggers slightly and the Black hood cocks his gun.  
He thinks he can hear the door open. He doesn’t turn, doesn’t move the Black hood doesn’t either and Archie’s about to just make a run for it before he can hear a thunking sound and watches as the Black Hood hits the ground before jumping up and rush through what he realizes is the open door. He watches shaking still as Sweet Pea and Jughead look at each other.

“I’ll check on Fred.” Jughead states vanishing up the stairs and Archie stumbles forward, Sweet Pea pulling him into his arms, and sitting down on the couch with him.  
“Hey it’s okay Andrews. It’s okay.” Everything is spinning and blurry and Archie just curls his face into Sweet Pea’s neck shaking. He can hear someone coming back into the room and he tightens his grip on Sweet Pea shivering and shaking his head slightly. Sweet Pea just runs his hand along his back.  
“It’s just Jones, just Jughead.” Archie uncurls his fingers slightly, flexing them as he untwines himself from Sweet Pea to look at Jughead.

“Your dad’s fine, must’ve just been someone trying to scare you. That’s all. We’re going to keep an eye on your house okay? Me and my dad will patrol; Sweet’s is gonna stay here, he’s the strongest out of all of us. He’ll keep you safe, I told your dad, we’re gonna be right outside, both entrances.” Jughead nods stepping out of the door and closing it.  
“Come on Andrews, back to bed?” Sweet Pea half questions tugging Archie up. Archie follows the shivering calming down to a faint tremble.  
“Stay down here, case he comes back.”  
“Did you hear Jones? He said we’ll be guarding you; so you can go back up okay?”  
“No I’m staying.” Archie slurs slightly shaking his head. Sweet Pea sighs rolling his eyes.

“Okay, but you’re on the couch for now.” He maneuvers Archie back over to the couch laying him down and pulling the throw over him. Archie doesn’t fight just lays there occasionally a shiver racks through him.  
“It’s okay you know that right?To not try to be okay right now. You can be scared, stop fighting it.” Sweet pea sits, back against the arm of the couch, Archie reaches a hand forward, letting it rest on his shoulder; Sweet Pea moves his hand to fold over Archie’s.  
“You going to answer?” He turns his head, watching Archie shake, his eyes blinking rapidly trying to clear away tears before they fall.

“Jesus Andrews.” Sweet Pea sigh, awkwardly turning and kneeling as Archie tries to sit up and scoot back from him.  
“Not today. Come here.” Sweet Pea’s hands wrap around his shoulders tugging him forward, he finds no resistance, instead Archie folds into him, shaking more, clinging to him like he had minutes earlier. It feels like a lifetime ago he thinks, shaking his head as he hides in Sweet Pea’s shoulder.

“It’s okay Archie, I’m here. You’re safe; you’re safe it’s okay.” He doesn’t say anything else repeating his earlier action of rubbing his hand softly over his back. Archie doesn’t say anything just sighs and nods into Sweet Pea’s shoulder.  
“You can stay down here, but you need to sleep. You must be exhausted with everything that happened.” Archie doesn’t respond and Sweet Pea pries him off, nudging him back down to the couch.  
“There now I’m.” He pauses looking down to where Archie’s gripped his hand.  
“Okay, fine; you owe me Andrews.” He teases nudging him once more so he can lay next to him.

Jughead is thankful nothing else happens, both he and his dad taking turns guarding the house and peering inside to see everything quiet. Jughead slips in intent on letting Sweet Pea know they can go home, that Fangs and Joaquin agreed to take over instead he finds Archie on the couch, curled into Sweet Pea’s chest and Sweet Pea engrossed in a cooking show.  
“Personally I would have chosen to grill the chicken but-“  
“Fried is better.” Sweet Pea answers automatically and Jughead rolls his eyes sitting in the arm chair.

“I don’t even want to think about you trying to cook anything.”  
“I’ll have you know since-”  
“Just because you eat everything in sight, doesn’t mean you can cook Jones.” Jughead snorts shaking his head.  
“And you can?”  
“Course, someone in my family had to be able to make food.” Jughead nods looking at Archie as the show cuts to commercial.  
“He’ll be fine right? You got him.” Jughead speaks softly and Sweet Pea nods.  
“Yeah, not gonna let anything happen to him.”  
“This is crazy isn’t it. A serial killer out for the Andrews. The nicest family in Riverdale and some psycho wants them dead.”

When Archie wakes up no one mentions what happened last night, no one says anything beyond thank you to Fred who’s making them pancakes and bacon. Archie doesn’t eat and no one pushes him. FP slinking in from upstairs has Jughead making a face and Archie’s numb expression shifting for half a second.  
“At least someone slept well.” He mumbles Fred’s face turning bright red. FP just smirks quietly.  
“Says the one who spent all night tangled in a Serpent’s arms. Least I had the decency to use the guest room.” Sweet Pea chokes on his orange juice.  
“Like you’d even know where the guest room is FP.” Fred fires back and Jughead joins Sweet Pea in choking.


	16. Chicken Pox

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sweet Pea ends up getting sick with a fever and wakes up next morning with chicken pox

“It’s nothing I‘ve been working too hard.” Sweet Pea glares and Archie shakes his head.  
“Hmm sure, its a fever and you know it. If you go to bed now you’ll probably get over it by tomorrow.” Archie grins as Sweet Pea grumbles but retreats to the bed in the room they share.  
“Arch. It’s not a fever.” Sweet Pea hisses as he gets out of bed, Archie turning from cooking to lean over the counter laughing.  
“Oh my god what happened.”  
“It’s called chicken pox you dick.”  
“Yeah you get that when you’re like five.”  
“Never got it. Guess my immune system was better than-“  
“DON”T SCRATCH THEM” Archie shouts pinning Sweet Pea’s hands agains the wall as he crashes into him.  
“Uh, why?”  
“They’ll scar, just slap ‘em like a tattoo.” Archie grins and Sweet Pea stars at him.

“You can let go of me now.”  
“If you weren’t sick I wouldn’t.”  
“ I mean it’s only chicken pox what harm can; unless you’ve never had it?”  
“No I got it when I was three; Jughead caught it and brought it around the school for everyone. Betty got a vaccine for it apparently. So she got like two actual pox’s lucky.”  
“So we can still-“ He glares when Archie smacks his hand.  
“No scratching!”  
“I’ll scratch whatever the fuck I want to! I’m an adult… what are you doing?” Sweet pea glares as Archie once again pins him to the wall.  
“It’s for your own good.”

“Did you just fucking duct tape oven mitts to my hands?”  
“Now you cant scratch.”  
“I’m going to beat you to death with these.”  
“I’ll make you take an oatmeal bath.”  
“A what?”  
“Doctors appointment.” Archie grins  
“I went to the doctors last year!”  
“When you got sick; which is what you’re supposed to do.”  
“I’m not going to the college clinic looking like this they’ll think I have syphilis or some shit.”  
“Sweet’s they’ve seen chicken pox hundreds of times; it’ll be fine.”  
“Not if I have the stupid oven mitts on.”

“They’re staying on until you learn not to scratch; or you go to the doctor. So make a choice.”  
“When does the doctor’s open?”  
“It’s been open for two hours, they take walk-in’s so lets go.”  
-“You’re lucky it’s just chicken pox.”  
“I know; that’s why I’m-“  
“I can’t give you anything for it.”  
“Oh so what I just lay around?”  
“Yes. Well I can give you lotion to help with the itching but it seems Archie’s come up with an equally good solution. I’d suggest a warm bath as well; that can usually help, but nothing to do besides watch it and make sure it goes away.”  
“Wait so you can just have chicken pox forever?”

“Well sort of; it can change; especially when you’re older and it’s your first infection; it can turn into shingles; which is a nerve damaging disease, hence why people say to get it when you’re young. But it can strike at anytime; shingles is more commonly; I’ll stop talking about it you look a little shaken.”  
“My boyfriend taped oven mitts onto my hands and dragged me to a doctor who just told me this can get worse.” He scowls when the doctor and Archie both laugh as the doctor gives Sweet Pea a prescription for lotion and a mild anti-allergy pill in case the itching gets worse.

“Okay so what do you want to do now?” Sweet Pea pap’s Archies cheek with the oven mitt.  
“No I’m not taking them off.” He laugh when Sweet Pea slaps him with it instead.  
“No; you need to keep them on; knowing you you’ll just scratch them and it’ll scar and you’ll hate yourself for scratching them.”  
“How would you know.” Sweet pea glares and Archie returns it.  
“The last time someone insulted your Serpent tattoo you spent two days crying to me about it.”  
“He insulted all of us!!! I was going to defend the Serpent honour!!”  
“Sweet’s he said it was dumb to get it on your neck.”  
“He obviously has no sense of pride.”


	17. Nurse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader is sweets older sister The boys wake up with fevers and bad colds and you take care of them

“Okay both of you need to-“  
“No!” You scowl as they shout at you.  
“You’re both 17 but I swear I will treat you like you’re five if you keep-“  
“We don’t need you to take care of us.”  
“I know I take care of you and your boyfriend; and we’re even.” You smirk and Sweet Pea narrows his eyes before he nods.  
“Even?”  
“Long story short-“  
“No long version.” Sweet Pea grins and you narrow your eyes.  
“Take this, and I’ll make soup so you can eat it while I’m talking.” You shove tiny measuring cups forward and they both narrow their eyes.  
“Why is it cherry.”  
“Because you both hate it and if I’m going to suffer than you are too.” You grin and turn to make them soup.

“Can it not be chicken noodle soup!” Sweet Pea shouts and you ignore him. You can hear there chatter quiet down and when you peer back in five minutes later they’re both asleep. You shake your head pulling the extra blankets from the closet out and carefully trying to drape them over so they don’t wake. The longer you can put off telling them the better. You turn the tv on leaving the soup to warm on the lowest heat on the stove.  
“Why’re we watching TV.” Archie grumbles  
“Well you should be asleep.” You shoot back and he grimaces coughing as you hand him a box of tissues.  
“This is your box; don’t let Sweet Pea take them all; he has in own box.”  
“What happened?” Archie questions and you sigh.  
“Basically when I broke my leg two years back Sweet’s spent the entire first two weeks taking care of me; carried me almost everywhere it was a bit annoying but I probably would have failed most of my classes if he hadn’t.”  
“Oh that’s really sweet, how is that something you don’t want to talk about.”  
“You missed the part where-“

“WE DON”T NEED TO TALK ABOUT THAT.”  
“Yes! We! Do!” Sweet pea punctuates each word with a cough and narrowing of his eyes.  
“Okay fine; so during that I was on the cheer squad and-“  
“She ended up showering and had to call me to get her out of the locker room; but the other cheerleaders kept trying to throw me outta it so she comes hobbling out, in a towel to explain to them and they shoved both of us out; she had to wait an entire extra week to go back into the locker room so she could get her stuff.”  
“I was going to say that.” Sweet Pea shakes his head.  
“I tell it better.” He grins and you roll your eyes.  
“Eat your damn soup.” You grumble.  
“I would if it-“ Sweet Pea starts and you move from the chair to the kitchen; ladeling the soup into the bowls and holding them out to them.  
“There we go; now eat the soup.”  
“This is chicken noodle.”  
“The other option is cream of mushroom soooo” You trail off laughing as Sweet Pea grimaces.

“You really haven’t changed at all you know that right? Now; I know nothing about him; so you going to spill or do I have to ask him about himself like I’m interrogating him?” You laugh when Archie looks paler than normal and Sweet Pea shakes his head. You stand going to get extra blankets leaving them to discuss the upcoming interrogation and interview.  
“Your sister scares me.”  
“She does?”  
“She’s like you but a girl; so like nice but I’m pretty sure she could stab me and I wouldn’t notice.”  
“I won’t stab you. Why is everyone you know so bad at whispering Pea. You’d think at least one of them would know how to whisper properly? Should I give lessons to them like how I taught you how to punch?” You smirk and try not to laugh when Archie double takes from you to Sweet Pea.

“Did she really?”  
“Much better. I can still hear you so room to improve.” You laugh as Archie’s voice lowers slightly.  
“But yes I did teach him how to punch, the brass knuckles are his own idea. His form; and right hook are all me though.”  
“My right hook isn’t-“ You arch an eyebrow as he cuts off coughing.  
“See even your own body knows when you’re going to lie.” You laugh and Archie turns his attention back to his soup.  
“So, Archie; you’re from the Northside?”  
“Yes.” He doesn’t look up from the bowl.  
“Your dad is Fred Andrews right?”

“Yeah.”  
“He tell you about the shagging wagon he and FP had?” You cringe when Archie starts choking and coughing on his soup.  
“Sorry I should have waited for you to finish eating.”  
“Wait your dad had a ‘shagging wagon’ and you shot down my idea for a-“  
“That idea doesn’t need to see the light of day and you know it!” Archie glares his chest heaving as he finishes coughing.  
“Hmm, I like you so far. Now; I heard you got into trouble with Hiram.”  
“Uh yeah, just-“  
“Good job.” You grin nodding to him and he smiles back.


	18. Sniffles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> family sick-fic

Archie’s not sure he’d ever seen his dad so happy; he’s one hundred percent convinced all of this is a fever dream. He’s content to lounge on the couch half conscious watching his dad fussing over not only himself but Sweet Pea’s younger sister. Archie’s waiting for the moment when Aza comments about his house, Sweet Pea had started it as a joke, calling Fred’s house Grandpa’s place. Aza had accepted it much too fast and Archie had found out after a casual conversation over Saturday morning cartoons that her and Sweet Pea referred to Fred as dad and grandpa respectively. Archie had spend the entire day pouting as he wasn’t able to tease Sweet Pea Aza having sworn him to secrecy. He’s wondering if he can get away with mentioning it and blaming it on the fever when Sweet Pea seems to appear mumbling something Archie can’t hear through the cotton feeling in his head; but Fred does how his eyes widen and Sweet Pea almost looks paler than Archie; Archie can tell it must have either been serious or very funny. He frowns realizing he missed it. It’s Aza who informs him when Fred lets her curl next to Archie after having them both take cough syrup.

“Sweet’s called him dad.”  
“Oh.”  
“He responded; which is worse according to Sweets.”  
“I don’t think that counts as anything close to bad.” Aza scowls but then nods.  
“Yeah it doesn’t he’s your dad, not Sweet’s and not my grandpa so like we shouldn’t call him that, or-“  
“You’re too philosophical when you’re sick why can’t you just whine like the rest of us and leave it at that.”  
“You’re the only one that whines.” She grins and both Fred and Sweet Pea nod.  
“I don’ttttttt.”  
“Point proven.”

“Okay y’all can’t just gang up on me like that, two, against one isn’t fair.”  
“Especially not if you’re sick.” Fred nods and Archie grins.  
“See dad gets it.”  
“It doesn’t matter if dad get’s it or not, besides Aza’s sick too so that argument doesn’t count either way.”  
“It can count if you want it to.” Fred sighs moving back towards the kitchen; Archie narrows his eyes.  
“Are you really leaving dad?”  
“Yeah? You said you were gonna watch cartoons with us.”  
“Well there aren’t cartoons on now are there?”

“There was till Archie changed the channel. You promised you would grandpa.” Aza glares and Archie smirks when Fred’s face lapses from feigned indifference.  
“He didn’t promise you anything Aza; don’t lie and make him feel bad, he has enough on his plate with Archie whining; if you talk it’ll prove my point.” Sweet Pea grins and Fred pats him on the shoulder.  
“I was wondering how you always won arguments with him; he’s more stubborn than a brick wall sometimes.”  
“I’m sick.”

“We know; you’ve been sniffling and coughing for the past two days, and you’ve been running a fever for the last two hours.”  
“Three hours, you said he felt warm this morning before we came over.” Aza adds in and Archie smirks nodding to her.  
“See she has my back, like family is supposed to.” He dramatically coughs after words.  
“Archie, you bribed her with those cough drops that’re mostly just candy, she’s in it for the sweets.”

“It’s good enough for me.” He nods. Aza grins nudging Archie who tries to be discreet about handing her a handful of the cough drops. Fred rolls his eyes.  
“You know we have like four boxes of those in the cabinet.”  
“There’s only one and a half here.” Sweet Pea calls back and Archie grins as Fred shakes his head.  
“You have a sugar addiction.”  
“My body needs the calories cause I’m sick dad.”

“So if I get cherry cough drops you’ll.” Fred doesn’t finish Archie’s grimace causing him to laugh and shake his head fondly.  
“So niether of you want actual food? Just sugary food then?”  
“Yeah!” Aza cheers and Sweet Pea smirks.  
“So you don’t want; Fred and I to go to Pop’s and get you a burger and fries?”  
“Well If you get a milkshake then it counts as sugar right?” Archie nods to Aza who agrees grinning at Sweet Pea in between coughs.


	19. Challenger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sweet Pea helps Archie take down the Red Paladin Challengers

“Sweets really it’s fine.”  
“So I should just stay home while you get to play the red paladin and get killed. Because if I’m not there you’ll try to take them all on at once and you’ll die and Jones will have to come over to mine and then he and Betty will have to explain to me how much of an idiot my boyfriend is getting himself killed taking on like twenty buff nerds who want to kill him for some drug fuelled quest.”  
“I mean when you put it that way…”  
“I’m right?” Sweet Pea grins as Archie sulks.  
“Come one, you need to learn how to fight.”  
“I know how to fight!”

“Not dirty. You wanna win against these fuckers you’re going to have to fight dirty.”  
“No sweet Pea I can’t it would-“  
“Be a good idea Archie; just in case. We don’t know how unhinged these guys are going to be, how they’re going to come at you. Anything can help at this point.” Jughead comments leaning against the ropes.  
“Unless you mean the other definition of fighting dirty in which case; please don’t do that in here.”  
“Says the couple who fucked on the cot in the bunker; you know how many people have fucked on that cot?”  
“Too many?”  
“Exactly.”

“Can we get back to training Archie? He has like two days to learn as much as you can teach him.” Betty comments and Sweet Pea nods stepping forward.  
“Come at me.”  
“Don’t say it.” Jughead snaps at the smirk on Archie’s face.  
“Should be in me.” Archie mumbles when he walks by Jughead who scowls.  
“Please hit him for me.” Jughead nods to Sweet Pea who rolls his eyes.

Sweet Pea’s nervous despite the extra training and the assurance he can step in if things start to get rough. Archie can see as he’s warming up as the gym remains empty that Sweet Pea’s fingers are repeatedly rubbing over his neck tattoo, a habit Archie realizes most of the serpent’s do; a reassurance that they’ll have their family’s protection. Archie doesn’t comment on how both Jughead and Sweet Pea focus on the Serpent tattoo as the gym stays empty.  
The doors fly open and Sweet Pea steps in front of Archie blocking him from view of the challengers walking into the gym.  
“No weapons besides fists.” Jughead calls out and Archie can hear the clatter of metal and plastic onto the ground. Sweet pea grins.

“No hidden ones either.” He snarls and Archie can hear the faint plinking of what he assumes are small knives and daggers. Betty stands in front of Jughead, her hand out to accept the first card; as the guy steps into the ring Sweet Pea blocks him, a hand skimming over his clothes and nudging his pockets.  
“You’re clear.”  
“You gonna do that with everyone?” One of them shouts and Sweet Pea glares stepping to the side to reveal Archie in just a pair of shorts.

“You wear what he wears and we don’t have that problem.” Sweet Pea tries not to laugh as most of the fighters slowly start to take off their shirts and fold their costumes leaving them on the bleachers.  
“Guess they’re scared this is gonna start with a Judas kiss again?” Sweet Pea smirks as he circles the ring making a point to hold eye contact with all the challengers some of whom shift nervously.  
“Before you start; this is a clean fight, whoever knocks out the other wins. If you don’t knock them out they have to stay on the ground for at least ten seconds to be considered out. Once you turn over your card you must fight; once you finish you must leave. And if you think about trying to go after him after you’ve lost; for whatever reason. Well;” Sweet pea flicks his knife out.  
“I get to use weapons. Keep in mind you’ll be going against me; and I’m not as kind as the Red Paladin. I will make you bleed.”

Sweet Pea’s relieved once the first few fighters have been dispatched; they seem to leave right away having been beaten fair and square; so far none of them have any intention of trying to return to fight or jump on Archie after they’ve been removed from the fight. Sweet Pea wonders if they’re just going straight home or to the hospital; none of them having life threatening injuries but he gauges it as painful and serious enough to warrant some form of outside help. He cringes when Archie’s nose gets hit again, his lip is already bleeding and he can feel Jughead’s hand on his shoulder.  
“He has to do it alone; he’s the Red Paladin.”  
“I’ll make sure they’re red when I’m done with them.”  
“Sweet Pea.” Jughead glares sternly.

“I’m going to scout around, to make sure everyone’s actually gone.” Jughead nods motioning towards the door. He knows Sweet Pea feels useless and is too proud to say he’s worried about Archie both he and Betty are; they can see Archie staggering and fighting himself to keep up the winning streak.  
Sweet Pea returns in time to watch Archie deliver the final blow to the L&L suit. 

He cheers along with Betty and Jughead pulling Archie into a hug and kissing him before turning back to the man on the ground, nudging him with his foot. Sweet Pea grins when he doesn’t move and Jughead’s not fast enough to snap at him before Sweet Pea kicks him as hard as he can in the stomach.  
“Sweet’s..”  
“He’s not gonna remember.”  
“Get off his kneecap.”  
“Where’s the fun in that?” Sweet Pea sighs moving his foot from where it hovered over side of the mans knee.  
“Where’s the fun in getting arrested and spending time in jail instead of looking out for me? I need a decent doctor and you know how to patch people up the best.” Archie spits back as he wipes his still bleeding lip.


	20. Bear Mom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Momma-bear Mary trying to take care of Archie/Sweet Pea, after she finds out about Sweet Pea’s home life

Sweet Pea doesn’t look up from the couch he’s been sat on. Fred had wrapped a blanket around him and he scowls as Archie offers a towel.  
“Too much?” Archie pulls the towel back and Sweet Pea tugs it from his grip.  
“A bit.” He runs the towel over his hair grimacing as he has to pause to sneeze three times.  
“You’re already sick. Who’s idea was it to let him stay out in the rain for hours chained up to the school.”  
“We thought the weather was going to be fine.”  
“Mhm; so you thought a hunger strike and public chain protest was going to go well in the middle of the most common time for it to possibly thunder storm?”  
“It’s random for a reason!”

“They just say that so they can get away with saying they weren’t sure if it doesn’t or if its too heavy.” Mary glares at them and Archie and Fred wilt abandoning Sweet Pea to make dinner instead.  
“Mrs. Andrews-“  
“Mary.”  
“Mary, ma’am.”  
“Just Mary.” Sweet Pea nods but looks slightly uncomfortable.  
“I understand if you don’t want me dating your son and dragging him to these things but-“

“Sweet Pea; I’m upset at you because you’re sick, not because you’re spending time with Archie.”  
“You sure? I mean I know I’m.”  
“I don’t care about you being a Serpent. I don’t care that you’re from the Southside…”  
“Or that I live on my own.”  
“You live on your own?” Her eyebrow arches up and Sweet Pean nods.  
“Yeah my home life wasn’t the best; it was better for me to be on my own; did I say something wrong?” Sweet Pea hesitates and Mary shakes her head.  
“No I’m just a little shocked you have your own place.”  
“It was easy enough with the inheritance I got. My dad gave me half; said he wanted as little a reminder as possible; spent almost all of his on drink and drugs, till he took too much; I got the rest, and an emancipation order so I didn’t have to live in the foster system.”  
“Your parent’s passed? I’m so sorry; how old were you?”

“14; judge said it was better for me to be on my own; the Serpent’s vouched for me and Penny helped with the lawyer stuff. It’s why FP has his debt to her.”  
“FP has a debt to Penelope Peabody?”  
“Yeah he- Mrs. Andrews; wait.” Sweet Pea staggers up coughing as he tries to pull Mary away from her phone.  
“Sweet Pea hold on a second I’m just putting a reminder in my phone to deal with her later. You on the other hand are now priority number one; do you like soup?”  
“What kind of, no I’m alright.”

“You should eat something, soup is good, I think we still have some chicken noodle in the freezer.”  
“You freeze your soup?”  
“When I make to much, I made a batch up about a month ago when I came down; do you want that or would you rather toast?”  
“The soup is fine.” Sweet Pea tries his best to look put out an annoyed when Mary gives him the warm bowl.

Sweet Pea knows he doesn’t need to but he taps on the office door nervously.  
“Yes?”  
“I know FP won’t I mean, thank you. He’s like a dad to me.”  
“I know. It’s okay.”  
“Okay.” Sweet Pea nods lingering by the door; halfway because he’s unsure what to do and half because he’s exhausted.  
“You know you can go back to bed right? And you don’t need to thank me every time you see me you know that right?”  
“Course; just feels like I should; you’re so nice to me and you’re Archie’s mom. So like I have to make you like me. I’m not used to that. To having a family.”

“ It’s alright; you don’t owe me anything. Seriously, just get back to bed okay?”  
“So uh I owe you going back to bed?” He offers a crooked grin and Mary rolls her eyes.  
“Go on. You’re still sick; don’t argue; I’m a lawyer.”  
“You’re also a mom so that’s like double the argument winnings you have under your belt; I know when I’m beaten.”  
“Didn’t even start, you can’t have lost by default of not starting.” Mary nods to him and Sweet Pea shrugs.  
“Well consider this a start then?”  
“Of you arguing?” Mary arches an eyebrow unconvinced when Sweet Pea shrugs again leaning forward on the doorframe.  
“Did you need something other than to stay up past your bed time?”  
“No. Just thought you could use company?” Sweet Pea questions and Mary smiles.

“That’s very sweet. It’s not going to work as an excuse; Archie beat you to that one years ago.” Mary nods to behind Sweet Pea who laughs when Archie nods.  
“Tame to say goodnight; and drag him back to bed.” Archie grins at Mary, arms wrapping around her before he shoves Sweet Pea forward.  
“Go on.” Sweet Pea bends slightly over Mary, hugging her far to softly by the way she pulls him tighter.  
“Goodnight Sweet Pea.  
“G’night M-Mary.”


	21. Needles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sweet pea had a tattoo but really is afraid of needles and shots

Archie doesn’t say anythinf just moves the trashcan closer to Sweet Pea who groans and shakes his head wincing as he pulls the blanket back over himself.  
“This wouldn’t have happened if you’d just gotten a flu shot.” Archie breaksthe silence  
“I hate needles!”  
“You have a neck tattoo! And one on your finger!” Archie rubs his fingers over the lines on Sweet Pea’s, humming softly.  
“I got ‘em there so I wouldn’t have to look at it when it was happening!!”  
“You can just turn your head away when you get a shot!”  
“But you have to wait for it to happen!”  
“You know how tattos work right? I mean you’ve gotten two of them at least; can’t be any worse than waiting for one little needle prick.”  
“Youre a little prick.” Sweet Pea snaps back and Archie shakes his head laughing.

“I’ll be there the whole time yeah? No one’s going to make fun of you or anything.”  
“I don’t care about that! I care about getting stabbed with a needle!!”  
“I don’t understand how you can be so calm about a tattoo and not about one flu shot?”  
“It’s different. Getting these tattoo’s was showing im part ofa family, plus I knew it was gonna be a while and I couldn’t see the needle at all; plus the tattoo gun has sound, makes it seem more likea tiny engine than a machine meant to deliver needles and ink to your skin.”  
“At least you’re not puking anymore; but you still have a fever.” Sweet Pea hums in confirmation before Archie sighs and moves his head to run it through his hair.  
“How are you not dying under there? You’re sweating bullets.”  
“I’m cold.” He grumbles and sighs as Archie’s hand combs through your hair.  
Fred sighs nudging Archie’s foot so he looks over to him.

“Yeah dad?”  
“The stomach flu and the regular flu are two different things; it might be worth it to get him an actual flu shot; if he got the flu on top of this it would end up with him in the hospital, and many more needles.” Fred comments when Sweet Pea almost hisses at him.  
“If you don’t puke in the next day we’ll have to get you a flu shot. It’s just how it works, we want to keep you healthy.” Archie comments, and Sweet Pea sighs nodding.  
“Don’t make yourself puke to get out of it either.”

“I’m pretty sure if I puke anymore it’ll just be my freaking stomach. Gonna have abs of steel after last night.”  
“You only puked like twice.”  
“Yeah but all that gagging and dry heaving; it’s puking without the actual vomit. Just pain.” Sweet Pea tries to offer an overly bright fake smile but it ends up looking like agrimace either way.  
“You look kinda like a serial killer right now. Cause you’re so washed out and pasty.”  
“Don’t comapre me to Hal cooper, that’s just low.”  
“Would you rather be Penelope Blossom then?”  
“I mean I look good in red right?” Sweet Pea laughs that turns into more coughing and a grimace before Archie all but shoves the trashcan under his nose.

“M not gonna puke.” Archie raise and eyebrow when Sweet Pea continues to cough.  
“Here.” Archie pulls the trashcan back, half climbing up and half shoving Sweet Pea to the side of the bed.  
“I’m not getting under the covers I’ll boil alive and look like a lobster.” Sweet Pea laughs and then rolls over to curl into Archie’s chest.

Archie wakes up first relieved to find Sweet Pea still sleeping. He manages to actually move from the bed and ot of his room without waking him up. Archie makes it downstairs to nod to his dadwho offers him lunch, leftover pizza and a glass of soda.  
“He still asleep?”  
“Yeah? You think if we wake him up and drag him out before he has a chance to wake up fully it would be better?”  
“Well I scheduled an appointment for him in about twenty minutes so it would be best. I’lldrop you two off, you can just call me when you need to be picked up.” Fred nods as Archie turns back towards the stairs.  
“Sweets. Come on.” Archie nudges him and Sweet Pea peers from the blankets that he’s pulls around himself. Sweet Pea grumbles but wraps the blankets around them as he crawls out of the bed leaning on Archie who leads him down the stairs.

“Wher we goin’ Smells like pizza.” Sweet Pea hums and Archie nods.  
“My dad ate the leftovers, I thought the could maybe get Pop’s?” Sweet Pea nods pressing his forehead to Archies.  
“Pop’s is good. Can we go now?”  
“Yeah sounds like a good idea; my dad can drive us.” Archie nods to his dad who jingles the car keys and Sweet pea sinks into the back seat already falling back asleep.

“Sweet we just have to make a quick stop here, I’ll get you cheese fries if you come with me.”  
“Better have bacon on ‘em.” SweetPea wakes up and nods sitting up and climbing out of the car to freeze.  
“This issn’t Pop’s.”  
“I know we have to- SWEET PEA! Don’t try to run home! Come here. It’s just a little jab; I’ll sit with you. My dad will pick us up when we’re done.” Archie soothes hand running through Sweet Pea’s hair.  
“You owe me so so much.”  
“Extra bacon and cheese on the fries then?”  
“And an extra milkshake and at least four more kisses than normal.”  
“Sweet Pea the last time we got Pop’s we almost got kicked out for making out.”  
“So now we gotta get kicked out.” Sweet Pea grins but it falls off as Archie drags him into the doctors.

“ So It seems like you just caught some mild form of the stomach bug that’s been going around, which is good; so we’re going to get you a flu shot since it seems like the stomach bug is almost completely out of your system but if you got the flu that’s also going around you’d be right back at square one so to speak. Now.” Sweet Pea ducks back as the doctor swivels in his chair the shot and alcohol wipe in his hands.  
“Ah, not a fan of needles then. I suppose I can’t offer you a lollipop if you’re a good boy and that would smooth it over?”  
“I wouldn’t say no to a lollipop but yeah; not going to help.”  
“Well how’d you get your tattoos then?”

“I didn’t have to look a them when I got it! It was easier to just turn away and not have to watch. OW.”  
“See all done, and you didn’t die. Much easier than a tattoo right?”  
“No I’d rather get the rest of my fingers done.”  
“Well now you won’t get the flu. You’re free to go whenever.”  
“Can I get a lollipop anyways?”  
“Grape or orange?”  
“Can I have both?” Sweet Pea grins when the doctor laughs a little.  
“Well since you were soooo good, just take them.” He offers four out and Sweet Pea laughs ending it in an awkward cough.  
“Make sure to get plenty of rest.”  
“So off to Pop’s to get kicked out now?” Sweet Pea nods to Archie who smiles pulling his phone out to call his dad.


	22. Common Cold

Fred is relieved Mary never made Archie take debate like they both had in high school. When he peers into the living room to see his son and Sweet Pea glaring at each other glancing back and forth to the tv.  
“Are you boys okay?”  
“Sweet Pea just said that the best song in Mary Poppins is-“  
“Stepin’ time obviously.” Fred cuts in front and Archie nods.  
“See! Even my dad thinks so!”  
“I hate both of you.” Sweet Pea half glares as he tries to stifle a yawn.  
“You both need sleep. I made up the beds upstairs; yes we have a guest room, and yes you’re using it Sweet Pea.” Fred cuts into Sweet Pea’s argument before he can say anything.  
“Okay Mr. Andrews.” Sweet Pea’s almost sulking and neither Archie or Fred comment about how relieved he looks.

Sweet Pea is the one to drag Archie from the couch mumbling about bed and how it would be better than half fighting sleep and getting back pain from the couch and chairs.  
“You’re warm.”Archie grumbles clinging his arms around Sweet Pea’s shoulders.  
“So are you; it’s called a fever.” Archie blinks sleepily at him and Sweet Pea yawns before Archie can.  
“What?”  
“You stole my yawn.”Archie glares at him.  
“Wow you must be really tired, to think I’d want a Northsider’s yawn.” Sweet Pea snorts and Archie nods.  
“You’re not able to yawn yourself; snakes can’t yawn; FP told me so.”  
“FP’s snake facts are lies Archie.”  
“Truth; FP is a snake god, he knows all.”

“How much cold medication did you take?” Sweet Pea laughs as Archie hauls himself up to turn his glare fully on Sweet Pea.  
“I’ll tell my dad you’re besmirching FP; he’ll get sooo upset.”  
“Archie; just cause your dad loves FP doesn’t mean he’s gonna get uppity if I say his snake ‘facts’ aren’t facts.” Sweet Pea draws air quotes around the first mention of facts and Archie grins.  
“Sweet Pea’s right.” Fred nods from the doorway, Archie’s grin falls off his face as he flops onto his bed.  
“I hate all of you. You’re tearing this family apart.”  
“You gave him more cold medication didn’t you?” Sweet Pea tilts his head towards Fred who smirks.

“No, he’s just a huge baby when he’s tired; and the cold medication.”  
“He’s not normally like this, enjoy the idiocy while you can.” Sweet Pea chuckles as Fred nods before leaving the room.  
“You both should get some sleep.”  
“Sweet Pea you have to stay.”  
“No I don’t I’ll get you sick if I; GET OFF.” Sweet Pea tries his best to shove Archie away; while Archie’s managed to wrap his arms around him.  
“Admit Steppin’ time is the best song and-“  
“Are you still going on about that, we all know Chim Chim Cheree is the real masterpiece!” Sweet Pea shouts back and they both cringe as Fred rounds back up the stairs.  
“You’re both wrong, it’s I Love to Laugh and you know it.”

“Dad that’s just a shit opinion and you know it.” Archie narrows his eyes and Sweet Pea nods in agreement.  
“I love to laugh is like on the bottom of the list, right next to Jolly Holiday and- Oh come on Jolly Holiday is sooo cringey.” Sweet Pea now narrows his eyes at both Fred and Archie’s offended expressions.  
“You were crying when it was playing.”  
“I was sneezing; that’s all.”  
“It’s not even a sad song Sweets.”

“It makes my nose itch, I’m allergic to how bad it is.”  
“I thought you were sick and sneezing when it came on?”  
“That too.” Sweet Pea nods and Archie huffs rolling over to drag his blanket with him on the bed.  
“Hey! If I’m staying in here I need at least part of this blanket.” He grumbles. Archie stays silent and unmoving and Sweet Pea smirks, coughing and dropping his voice so it scratches more as he trudges from the room.  
“I guess I’ll just use the guest room; at least there I’ll get a blanket to stay warm. Archie Jesus; i was’t serious; calm down.” sweet Pea shoves Archie back who’s cocooned him into the blanket and his own arms.  
“You have to stay. Even if you hate the best Mary Poppin’s songs.”

“They’re not that bad; it’s just there are better ones than your favourites; it’s just a fact.”  
“You know they’re gonna make a second one.”  
“Is Julie Andrews playing Mary Poppins? If she isn’t I don’t want to see it.”  
“Sweet Pea it’s not practical for her to-“  
“Don’t care; she is Mary Poppins and I’ll fight you on that.”  
“Lin-Manuel Miranda plays Jackkkkk, he’s basically Burt. Come on Sweets you love Lin Miranda.”  
“Love Julie Andrews and Burt more; I don’t care for this new Jack guy; he seems sketchy.”  
“You didn’t even know he existed until like two seconds ago!!”  
“While I appreciate you two talking and having such a riveting conversation you’re sick; please go to sleep.”  
“Dad did you come all the way up hear to tell us to go to bed like we’re five?”  
“No I came all the way across the hall when someone’s shouting woke me up.”


	23. Stomach Bug

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Swarchie Fluff

Sweet Pea’s curled on the couch half asleep when Archie gets home from school.  
“Anything change?”  
“Not really, he was dry heaving for about an hour after you left but he managed to keep down some soup which is more than yesterday I’ll try some toast later.”  
“Thanks dad; I’m sure Sweet Pea doesn’t say it enough.” Archie nods to the couch and Fred shrugs.  
“I don’t mind, just want to make sure he’s safe; speaking of which I was thinking about making a doctors appointment, with the hospital, it might be some kind of allergy we don’t know about.” Fred sighs running his hands through his hair before he turns back to watch Archie wake Sweet Pea up.

“Let him sleep.”  
“Okay dad; I was going to give him the notes and class work he missed today; thankfully none of the teachers decided to give us a test right now. They did say he needs a doctors note if he misses two more days in a row.” Fred nods sighing.  
“I bet it’s probably just some like super bad stomach bug, or maybe he’s just trying to get out of something at school?” Fed looks hopefully towards Archie who shrugs.  
“We have like no tests or even really work right now. Just finishing up the reading for english but Sweet Pea’s already read frankestein so theres no need for him to stress about that.”

Archie knows his dad is out at work when he comes home; he’s surprised to hear Sweet Pea in the kitchen and when he comes in he nods to Sweet Pea who nods back and offers him out part of the pizza he’d cooked.  
“Feeling better?”  
“A bit.” Sweet Pea doesn’t look him in the eye and Archie frowns.  
“My dad was talking about taking you to the doctors, I know you don’t like doctors or hospitals but we need to find out what’s wrong with you.”  
“Nothing’s wrong?” Sweet Pea sighs and Archie scowls.  
“You’ve been throwing up most of what you’ve been eating, anytime you eat! That’s a pretty big sign something is wrong Sweets!”  
“It’s fine, seriously not a stomach bug or whatever.”  
“Wait have you been making yourself puke? So my dad has to take care of you? That’s so fucked up Sweet Pea.” Archie snaps and Sweet Pea pulls away from him.  
“Arch it’s just-“

“Just what Sweet Pea? Do you have any idea how stressed he’s been; worried about you? He thought you had some fucked up stomach bug! He was looking into a proper doctors appointment, where they knock you out and shove a camera inside you! He was stressing about saving up! Jesus how selfish can you be Sweets?”  
“Do you know how lucky you are! Do you know what it’s like to have nobody care for you for years! The closest to a dad I had was the occasional drunk check-up from FP. I never had what you had Archie. I never will, I know that; but with your dad I can pretend, that some adult actually care about me.”\

“You know he’s not pretending right Sweet Pea?”  
“He will, once you tell him I was faking.” Sweet Pea curls in on himself fingers drifting up and down his own arms.  
“I’m going to tell him. I can’t not. He’s not going to hate you or whatever else you’re convinced he’s going to do. He’s gonna be pissed you worried him but he’ll understand, and if he doesn’t it wont take him long to come round about it.” Archie’s hands wrap around him.  
“How about we just spend the rest of the day as a sick day. Then we’ll see how my dad’s feeling afterwords.” Sweet Pea nods and Archie sighs curling around him.

Sweet Pea wakes up alone and is about to say something to Fred who stands in the doorway.  
“Archie caught your stomach bug; it’s been going back around the school apparently.” Sweet Pea nods and Fred offers him another blanket.  
“He’s cold; I don’t think you can get it again. Well again, again.” Fred smirks and Sweet Pea nods pulling the blanket over as Archie all but staggers towards him.  
“You okay Arch?”  
“ I’m tired.” He slurs curling onto Sweet Pea’s chest.  
“Well good thing it’s three in the morning so you can sleep some before school.”  
“No school.” Archie groans curling under the blanket and Sweet Pea kisses his forehead laughing slightly.


	24. Post

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sweet Pea is there for Archie and Mary after Fred passes

He’s stuck up there. That’s what Archie had said to him last. He’s on some months long job that’s going to make him a good bit of money. It was a flimsy justification for the fact that everyone knew Riverdale was dying. Sweet Pea can’t really remember how to breathe when Archie shows up at five in the morning four days before they know anything crying and shaking saying he’d been having nightmares; that he nor most people he’d talked to had been able to shake the sense of dread weighing them down.

Sweet Pea doesn’t know what to say so he doesn’t say anything; just sitting next to Archie on the couch. He tries his best not to give into the tears; knowing Archie seeing him cry would be far worse than the silence. He doesn’t even look at Mary; he wonders if she’s surprised; he was Archie’s first call, not Jughead or Betty; or anyone else. She’s sitting across from them in the armchair; silent; not even crying. Sweet Pea wants to tell her that she can cry; that Archie has him; that he’ll take care of them both it’s what family does; but he can’t find the words. So he sits; arms folded on his lap and waits.

Archie falls asleep and when he slides sideways and Sweet Pea wraps him in the blanket is when Mary moves. Sweet Pea wouldn’t call it movement; she collapses; trying not to fall offthe chair; either way Sweet Pea wraps her in a blanket and then nervously hovers in the kitchen doorway before calling on his phone.

Fangs looks exhausted when he shows up at three in the morning; an hour after Sweet Pea had left five messages panicking about what to do to him. He’s confused at the massive pot and baking dishes Fangs had brought but doesn’t question anything.  
“They’re both asleep.”  
“They’re in bed.” Fangs corrects him before telling Sweet pea to get Archie and bring him to the kitchen.  
When Sweet Pea tries his best to quietly enter Archie’s bedroom he watches as Archie hunches backwards on his bed and hides his face under a pillow.  
“Come on red; you know I don’t mind your sad face.” Archie whines and Sweet pea sighs before he half pulls him up; arms wrapping around his waist to hold him as he slumps onto Sweet Pea’s body.

“Fangs came over.” That gains no response to Archie and Sweet Pea just pulls him backwards and off his bed; slowly getting him to stumble down the stairs.  
“I had Jones bring Hot Dog for Vegas; follow instructions on notepaper.” Sweet Pea reads out from the note Fangs left. He glances to the sitting room to see Hot Dog and Vegas curled on the couch.  
“Fangs was here?” Archie’s voice is hoarse and Sweet Pea tries to pretend it was from sleep not from crying.  
“Yeah he uh; told me I should cook for you guys. When his dad died the Serpents banded together and cooked him food. He said otherwise he wouldn’t have eaten for a week. When did you last eat?”  
“His dad died?” Archie looks distressed and Sweet Pea cringes.  
“Yeah; he went out in the navy; on a boat to somewhere that never made it; sunk at sea.”  
“But his mom’s sick?” Archie questions as if that reasoning means his dad isn’t dead. Sweet Pea swallows the thought of how similar he and Fangs are.  
“Yeah; doesn’t mean anything; bad things happen every day, every night; every hour. We can’t let ourselves be a part of that.”

Archie looks like he wants to say something but he just stays quiet so Sweet Pea squeezes his shoulder and nudges him towards the kitchen.  
“Help me cook; I have no clue how to turn any of this on.” He laughs a little counting it a victory when Archie stands on his own and moves forward.  
“That’s my dad’s.” Is all he says when he sits back down; the food having been packaged in the freezer.  
“What is?” Sweet Pea watches as Archie’s hands drift towards the jacket he’d left slung on the back of the chair.  
“The jacket.”

“Yeah he said he didn’t need it; that it wasn’t warm enough for the job up there.” Sweet Pea adds; remember the excitement he and Archie shared; about how good it would be for his dad to have a decent income; Archie hadn’t been sure about his mom coming down but Sweet Pea could tell he was relieved.

He sits Archie on the couch; between Vegas and Hot Dog; with a bowl of the pasta he’d made before he makes his way up the stairs. It’s half four in the morning; he knows none of them should be awake; but he’s also pretty sure besides the pasta he’d just eaten none of them had anything beyond a shared basket of cheese fries the night before.  
“Mary; hey; I made some pasta; do you want some?” he offers into the room and finds it empty; he pads across the floor to the office finding her hunched over the desk. He knows from Fang’s warning that she’s probably awake and he repeats his question not surprised when she swivels her head and nods slowly.  
“It’s four thirty AM; that can wait a moment longer; you can work on it while you eat.” He assures when she doesn’t release the papers she’d gathered in her hands.

Sweet Pea stands in the kitchen doorway once more watching the exhaustion in the scene before him.Mary and Archie leaning on each other half eaten bowls of pasta half paying attention to the cartoon’s Sweet Pea had put on and half reading what Sweet Pea had only glanced at. He sighs watching as they both start to doze off; as the sunrise illuminates the paper. Sweet Pea pulls it from their laps; carefully folding Fred Andrews will and covering Mary and Archie in the jacket that was hanging on the back of the chair; he imagines Fred wouldn’t mind.


	25. Bronchial

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Archie gets sick with bronchitis, post high school

Betty was the one who’d caught on first; Archie made a joke it was her reporter’s senses and she’d laughed back at him. Sweet Pea had learned over the course of high school; and the two years he’d worked for her that if she caught on to something that she wasn’t often wrong. Archie doesn’t notice when Sweet Pea shows up after his night shift with cold medicine.  
“I got the week off; FP said I’m just on call if anything goes south.” Archie nods half asleep as Sweet Pea crawls next to him.  
“You have a fever.”  
“I don’t; just a sore throat; it’s just below zero out there; why you’re so cold.”  
As it turns out Archie was right; Sweet Pea had just been cold but that doesn’t stop him from pulling out the cough syrup and medication he’d stock piled the weeks earlier.

As Sweet Pea had known for years Archie was surprisingly clingy and whiny when he was sick; he’s not whining now; most likely a side effect of his throat being sore. Still he laughs under his breath as even in his sleep Archie clings to him like an octopus does. Sweet Pea is thankful that working with FP and the rest of the Serpent’s had added to his muscle mass because he’s not sure how contorted he’d end up if Archie the human pretzel had his way. Still he snuggles closer to his boyfriend relieved to have time with just them. No dinners with friends or work parties from either side of their jobs. No fancy events to schmooze at. Just them the TV humming and half eaten Chinese food and toast.  
Sweet Pea’s not surprised to hear the sound of the shower running when he wakes up; he however is surprised to hear it turn off and for Archie to appear at the door way pouting.

“You didn’t join me.” He half whines and coughs and Sweet Pea grins trying not to laugh.  
“Baby you’re sick I can’t let myself get sick or then who’s going to take care of you?”  
“We can call Jughead; he owes us for walking in on him, Betty and Fangs.” Archie wrinkles his nose and so does Sweet Pea.  
“So you want me to shower with you while Jughead sits here and eats all our food?” Archie scowls at Sweet Pea’s reasoning and Sweet Pea laughs nodding back to the couch.  
“You should take a bath later; it’ll help.” Archie’s already falling back asleep and Sweet Pea pulls him closer as he coughs and sputters as he tries to get comfortable.

”Sleep more.” Archie hasn’t even moved from where he’s corralled Sweet Pea almost into the couch cushions.  
“It’s been two hours; and for one of those I was watching TV.”  
“You said you wouldn’t watch it without meeeeeee.”  
“Netflix; I said I wouldn’t watch Netflix without you. This was just the food network channel.”  
Archie makes a pained noise and shoves Sweet Pea so he almost falls off the couch.  
“It wasn’t master chef okay! It was some cafe review show; calm down.”  
“Cheater.” Archie hisses when Sweet Pea grins; standing in the doorway to the kitchen holding the remote.  
“We can finish queer eye;”

“If I what?” Archie supplies the rest of Sweet Pea’s sentence; he grins.  
“We both have lunch first and you take a bath.”  
“I can shower.”  
“Mhmmm I know you can; but I don’t think you want to stand for more than five minutes and risk having to be super cold when you get out.”  
“I would if you join me.” Archie manages to get out between coughs as he sits up; he pulls over the entire box of tissues hacking into a handful and balling them up; tossing them into the trash can.  
“I thought this was supposed to be like virus asthma.”

“It’s bronchitis Arch; it’s just an inflammation of your lung and- Calm down; Jesus it’s not like that time I had scallops; calm down.”  
“It’s good you’re coughing that up though; better than letting it sit in your lungs.” He nods and Sweet Pea sighs; sitting back onto the couch as Archie leans against him; already falling asleep.  
“Your fever’s gone down a good bit. How about a quick five minute nap then we can shower.”  
“We?”  
“Mhhmm; so come on; nap time for now.”  
“SWEE PEA!” Archie half hacks from his chest and half shouts Sweet Pea stumbles up looking confused and reaching for his knife before he actually listens to Archie’s worries.  
“I never called the school my mom is gonna be pissed i can’t even get a doctors note and; stop laughing! I know you might not care about attendance but- We’ve been out of high school for years haven’t we.” He sighs draping himself back onto the couch.

“Yeah; besides Mr. Golden boy; you already called off work. So that’s not even something you should be stressing about now.”  
“Has it been five minutes?”  
“Twenty actually.” Sweet Pea grins surprised at how enthusiastic Archie looks at the prospect of a shower.  
“You hate showering when you’re sick.”  
“Never got to shower with you before.”


	26. Game Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Archie gets hurt at football and sweet pea takes care of him

Archie doesn’t say anything after he wiggles his way out from under the pile that the Raven’s had covered him in. He only stumbles slightly but it’s enough for Sweet Pea to jump the fence and hover nervously while both Archie and the coach wave him away. He’s not limping or even looks like anything happened beyond his helmet being smeared with mud and the shorts he has now look like they’re half dyed green with the grass that he’d skidded on when he was tackled.

“Coach it’s fine.” Archie grins and assures the Coach who looks him up and down before nodding.

Archie’s grinning when they take a break for halftime; he nods towards the showers offering a sheepish smile to Sweet pea when the coach starts scolding him for jumping the fence and Archie is swept back with the team into the locker room.

“We’re looking good so far thanks to you and Munroe; keep up the blocking and we won’t have a thing to worry about.” Reggie laughs clamping his hand over both Mad Dog and Archie’s shoulders. Archie nods shrugging him off to run himself under a shower.

When he ducks behind the lockers he sinks onto the ground hissing and tugging the leg of his pants up to look at how swollen and purple his leg is already starting to look.

“Arch; five minutes!”

“Yeah yeah got it.” Archie shouts back trying to brush the stray tears from his eyes. He shoves himself up after covering the increasing swelling and allows himself to limp until he gets to the front of the field.

They’ve one; which means they’ve earned the trophy that had been taken by the Ravens the year prior. Archie can’t help it; jumping with everyone in excitement; of course he puts too much weight on his injury of course he stumbles at the wrong moment grasping for support that no one thinks he needs.

He ends up on the ground half conscious and trying to stand when everyone suddenly gets that he was injured before; that he was trying to put on a face so they could win. He manages to sit up and mumble to Reggie that his leg hurts and he twisted his ankle; Reggie starts chewing him out immediately and Sweet Pea thanks him when he ends up on the field and the medic they have explains Archie needs to go to the doctors at the least and hospital at the best.

Sweet Pea glares at Archie the entire time Fred checks him out of the hospital. Nobody says anything but Fred’s trying to hide his amusement at how nervous Archie looks to be left alone with Sweet Pea.

“It’ll take me ten minutes to get Pop’s you deserve it; bringing the trophy back home.” Fred assures and Archie nods.

“I understand not wanting to let everyone down; you did amazing.” Archie waits for his dad to return feeling Sweet Pea’s glare darkening as they near home.

“While I appreciate everything you did to help the team win the end of season game..” Sweet pea starts but is cut off by Fred offering out fries and pain killers to Archie. Sweet Pea waits and Fred heads upstairs for the night after Sweet Pea assures him that he’ll have no problem helping Archie to his room.

Archie cringes when the door upstairs closes.

“So; Mr. I won the football game while having ‘twisted my ankle’; what do you have to say for yourself.”

“Well I mean i didn’t twist my ankle technically.” Archie grins at him and Sweet Pea narrows his eyes.

“Oh year forgive me for the misspeaking; i meant to say while having a BROKEN LEG; no really it’s fine Arch; you can totally play a fourth of the game on a broken leg to win us a stupid gold plated trophy; it’s not like your health matters or anything.”

“Well now-”

“Nothing you say will justify it.” Sweet Pea cuts in front of him.

“If you let me finish; at least you get to take care of me for the next while; at least till I can pick up some crutches.”

“Like it’s going to take that long for you to get crutches.”

“Well I can’t exactly walk to get them and my dad can’t go pick them up until he’s finished work tomorrow.”

“Have we forgotten that I have a free period in the mornings?”

“No, I assumed that was going to be used to make me breakfast in bed.” Archie grins and Sweet Pea laughs slightly.

“Either way we should both go to bed it’s been about seven hours of us out?”

“Well the football game and then yeah like three hours at the hospital? So probably about that.”

“Which means we can both benefit from bed.” Sweet pea doesn’t say anything else; leaning forward over the couch and waiting for Archie to sit up slightly; when he does Sweet Pea hefts Archie into his arms and starts to walk up the stairs only pausing when he has to turn on the landing trying to avoid scraping Archie’s casted leg on the wall.

”Babe stop it.” Sweet Pea sighs in the morning when he can see Archie trying to wedge a ruler down the side of the cast.

“It’s itchyyyyy”

“That means it’s healing.”

“I broke my leg; not scratched it; nothing broke skin; it’d just irritated; like me; cause it’s itchyyyy.”

“That only made sense like halfway through it. I get your leg is itchy so just think about that next time you want to play a hero.” Sweet Pea shakes his head and Archie wrinkles his nose before laughing.

“I can’t believe I’m actually thinking that anything I say will stop you from playing the hero whenever Riverdale calls for you.”

“Well an I love you might go a bit farther.”

“Oh; what about a kiss?” Sweet Pea grins and Archie chuckles grin matching Sweet Pea’s

“You’ll just have to find out then.”


	27. Sick Call

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sweet pea starts getting sick at work and gets sent home and Archie takes care of him , they end up going to the doctor anyways

Archie’s grateful that he’d saved up his work days. While Sweet Pea won’t admit it he knows he’s grateful as well.  
“Don’t say a word.” Sweet Pea growls; his voice crackling as he slumps in the seat.  
“Babe it’s-”  
“Don’t.” He hisses before breaking into a coughing fit and cringing as he leans back in the seat closing his eyes.  
“Robert was saying;”  
“That I passed out. I didn’t! I just fell asleep.”  
“Sweets he said you collapsed; went straight down; you can’t keep taking double shifts like that; it’s really dangerous!”  
“It was a triple shift.” Sweet Pea stares out the window as Archie just lets a huff of air from his nose.  
”Sweets; come on; you can’t sleep in the car.” Archie huffs tapping the window before Sweet Pea clambers out of the car.

“Not tired.” He mumbles and let’s Archie bring him into the apartment they now share.  
“Of course not; just lay on the couch; you want me to make you food?”  
“Want Pop’s.” Archie sighs, shaking his head.  
“Would you even be able to eat a burger right now?”  
“Course.” Is all Sweet Pea manages to say before he ends up coughing and groaning flopping on the couch and hissing when he opens his eyes to stare at the light on the ceiling.  
“I’m not sick.” He grumbles and rolls so his face is against the back of the couch.  
“Course you’re not; just like I’m not a natural redhead.” Archie grins and Sweet Pea grumbles something that’s lost to the pillows before he drifts off into sleep.

Archie wakes up and curses himself for falling asleep but is relieved to see Sweet Pea is still asleep for the moment. He sighs before hefting the other man into his arms and stumbling slightly towards their bed before piling a couple extra blankets onto him.  
His hands run against Sweet Pea’s forehead frowning when his temperature feels warmer than earlier. He grabs the thermometer from the cabinet in the bathroom and manages to nudge it into Sweet Pea’s ears without waking him. Archie thanks the small miracles frowning when Sweet Pea’s temperature has climbed up from slightly high to an actual fever.  
“This means you’re going to have to go to the doctor if that doesn’t break.” he sighs mumbling to himself and jumping slightly when Sweet Pea tries to glare at him.

“Oh come on you were awake that entire time? You couldn’t have walked to bed yourself?”  
“I heard the word doctor and figured I should glare ya’ know.”  
“No I don’t because i assumed you were knocked out because you’re sick; either way you definitely have a fever; and it’s mostly likely just a cold but;”  
“If I don’t rest it’ll be the flu right? I got it; bed rest and plenty of fluids; no problem Doc.” Sweet pea winks laughing a little and Archie quirks an eyebrow.  
“What?”  
“Nothing was just thinking of you being one of those sexy doctors for halloween.”

“I don’t think i could pull it off.” Archie’s face pinks and Sweet Pea grins.  
“I could.” Sweet Pea smirks.  
“I suppose you could ; i mean i’m not going to-”  
“Not what I meant.”  
“Oh. well we’ll just have to see if you’ll survive to halloween then.”  
“Archie it’s a cold calm down.” Sweet pea mumbles around coughing and sneezing that’s overtaken him for a few moments.  
“Yeah; I’m calling the doctor in the morning.”  
“No don’t.”

“Okay I’ll call Curdle now and we can-”  
“FINE; call the doctor tomorrow morning.”  
“Aww is Curdle that bad?”  
“He’s the freaking coroner for the town! He’s not even supposed to be able to medically assess living people; let alone someone who’s sick.” Archie nods humming slightly.

“And he takes bribes. Do you really want me going to someone who didn’t become a doctor; went through like four years of medical school before someone was like “uhhh no, deal with the dead ones’ and then decided to move to a small town and take bribes!!”  
“They didn’t move here; his family has been living here as long as the blossoms; and so what if he takes bribes? Half the town does; hell Jughead does if i buy him extra cheese fries; he let you get off early on our anniversary cause of it.”  
“That was you!” Sweet Pea hisses shoving a finger into Archie’s face.  
“Yes; now get some sleep; we have a doctor to go see tomorrow.”


	28. Couples Costume

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A couples costume party

Sweet Pea and Archie Andrews were dating. Everyone knew. Despite both of them never having agreed to anything or said anything beyond what they thought was casual. Of course it was the fact their idea of casual was one notch below painfully obvious on the scale. It was almost a game for the rest of the Serpents see how close they could get to catching them out, straying one step too close to where they thought they were hidden around the corner. Jughead kept a running list of the best excuses they’d come up with; there was a betting pool rewards supplied by Cheryl and Toni had a side list of how many times each excuse was given and anything over five got whoever reported it two extra entries.

They hear them talking about it two weeks before Cheryl announces her costume party idea and everyone worriedly wonders if they’ve figured out the betting pool and are trying to skew the results. As it turns out, Sweet Pea and Archie just leaned on the stereotype that Cheryl was going to have the most extra Halloween party ever; including the rule of matching costumes being approved by her and Toni; so no one else will outshine them. Of course not everyone is a couple but Cheryl; wanting to add as much chaos as possible to a haunted house themed party decides that by next week anyone who doesn’t have a partner will be assigned one. Archie assures Sweet Pea that no one looks twice at them joining up; the fact Fangs and Reggie made a mad dash for each other grinning like idiots and plotting ‘the best costume ever’ was enough to throw suspicion of both of them casually nodding to each other.

Unbeknownst to anyone both Archie and Sweet Pea had been planning the idea for weeks; almost months before they’d agreed upon a fitting costume; Archie overly excited about how much fun it was going to be and Sweet Pea trying his best not to follow on his heels with how much he loved halloween.  
They show up together and Fangs refuses to look at the pouting and complaining to everyone listening that they’ve outdone anyone else’s costumes. Cheryl looks unimpressed lounging with Toni both dresses in matching dresses reminiscent of the Cell Block Tango routine from Chicago. Sweet Pea tilts his head grinning.  
“So uhh he had it comin’ then?”  
“Oh if you’d have been there Sweets.” Toni grins holding up a fake gun.  
“And who are you supposed to- oh my god.” Toni laughs as Archie walks up smirking.  
“What? Oh come on Grease is like the best movie ever!”  
“How did you convince Sweet Pea to be- wait are you Frenchy Archie?”  
“Yeah; I thought it would be better than me trying to be Danny and him being Sandra; he was all for it but.”Archie shrugs fingers running through his neon pink sprayed hair.  
“Are you two gonna sing the songs from it?”

“Are you two gonna sing the songs from Chicago.”  
“We can.”  
“We can’t.”  
“You both can sing!”  
“Yeah and the entire point of halloween is to get drunk and have fun, which as far as I’m concerned isn’t singing show tunes.” Sweet Pea nods to everyone and Fangs grins.  
“What’re you thinking then Fangs?”  
“Drunk karaoke? Winner gets the entire December tab for Pop’s paid.”  
“Pies included and I’ll sing ABBA if you want.”  
“Deal.” Cheryl grins.

“So couples against couples?”  
“I don’t think Roxie and Velma count as a couple sooo-“  
“Oh like Frenchy and Rizzo do?”  
“They’re in a gang together; Roxie and Velma are just in jail and-‘  
“Have you watched Chicago?”  
“It’s a quality musical!!!”  
“Wait you and Sweet Pea are actually a thing?”  
“Yes?” Archie shuffles slightly behind him and Fangs grins.  
“Told you all the Serpent’s date each other.” Reggie laughs and Fangs rolls his eyes  
“You know that makes us the outliers than.”  
“You the what now?” Everyone turns and Fangs drops his smile.  
“Wait how the fuck is it not obvious Reggie and I are together? But Archie and Sweet Pea are even though they spend like half the time they’re together trying to burn the ‘no homo bro’ aesthetic into our brains they’re pavlov-ing us but with a ‘please don’t think we’re a couple..”  
“You even walked in on us once at-“  
“WE DON’T TALK ABOUT THAT REGGIE!!!” Jughead glares and Reggie grins.  
“Aww are you upset about having a Bulldog-“  
“If you finish that sentence I will ban you from the Wyrm.”  
“I was promised drunk jocks and gang members signing ABBA and by hell I’m going to get it.” Cheryl laughs and Toni grins.


	29. Game Fight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Swarchie; Angst

Archie knows the chances of him getting out of L&L are going down by the minute let alone the hour. He doesn’t say anything when they take Mad Dog away. He doesn’t say anything when the ghoulies take his shoes or Joaquin dismisses him from the Serpent’s. He doesn’t even say anything when he’s tapped.

Every day continues as it had been and he knows he’ll be stuck in here until he dies.

Archie spends most of his free time writing. He writes to all his friends. Letter and thoughts about the things they’ve gone through; he writes to his fellow inmates; and debates actually passing the letters to them. He knows Joaquin will appreciate it but he’s not sure how Shank will react to a five page letter about how Archie wishes to help him. He can’t help but laugh when he’s alone; crying silently at how nice, how soft he still is. The Serpents had all given him advice before he’d left; ways to stave off the boredom or keep his mind sharp so he won’t lose himself. Of course he can only hear Sweet Pea’s voice; the concern trying not to leak through but pattering on his skin like Sweet Pea’s fingertips had ghosted over his arms and skin tracing the snake tattoo that was still sore and sometimes wept when his fights got too rough. He keeps at his usual routine; it’s almost a comfort having to train and getting decent meals; getting books to read and free time in the yard to tell stories of how normal; how safe his school days were. He can tell some of the other boys enjoy it; they’re a little younger than him; with how they excitedly chatter about him. Archie feels a little sick about how much they value him; he’s never had siblings and he finds himself writing Jughead and Joaquin to ask for help.

He spends any free time he gets talking to anyone who will listen about Sweet Pea. No one gives him warnings about being gay and he’s half expecting to get jumped everytime he’s let out from his cell but he finds most of them don’t seem to care beyond the hope he’s single. The thought makes him blush; nervous about anyone finding him attractive; especially since he’s been spending months with these guys and they’re all actually decent people. Archie refuses to admit he has a tiny crush on Shank; mainly due to the thought of the guy being so willing to help his nana; of course Archie knows he didn’t do it on a whim; it was mostly likely Shank’s nana was the only one to care for him. Archie hates himself for the thought. Sweet Pea and him hadn’t been fully exclusive; not with how he’d seen Sweet Pea flirt but he tells no one otherwise. Everyone assumes they’ve been together for years; and never had much of a fight beyond picking it with others who disagreed with them.

Rumors of a new fighter surface. Not of another prisoner but someone brought from the outside; someone who’s fighting to avoid having to go back to a cell.

Archie loses his fight to baby teeth to avoid whoever the new fighter is; after both Shank and Joaquin come back with broken bones and concussions so strong neither of them can stand without swaying. Baby teeth comes back worse than both of them and Archie can tell the warden is desperate to fight with him; but also unsure of using him against the new fighter.

Baby Teeth is released; or maybe he does die like Joaquin mumbles to him. Archie had requested they share a cell; and due to both their last wins the Warden had agreed.

“We’re going to get out; I swear.” Archie promises and the next morning he has a visitor. Ms. Monica Posh appears like an angel and offers him money for the canteen and shoes and almost everything the Warden is giving him. Archie wonders how much Veronica knows of her father’s involvement.

“He’s gotten bad Arch; Jug says he and Fangs are playing G&G almost all the time; they’ve really gotten into playing foot soldiers. We think it’s just a distraction from you.” Veronica hums under her breath as she tells him of the plan to break him out. He offers a half hearted shrug; advice that the Warden is quite nice and that Joaquin is his bunkmate and he really doesn’t want to make it worse for anyone. 

Of course Archie never gets what he wants when the Lodges are involved and he finds himself squaring up, masked and waiting in the swimming pool; he can smell Hiram’s cologne and he waits as he’s inspected. He can hear Veronica’s gasps; and Reggie’s growl; the anger in both of them at Hiram is something Archie can taste if he breathes through his mouth.

“Now Red Paladin what will you fight for?” The Warden asks him this question every time; each answer has been the same more or less; usually one of the other inmates’ safety and this time is no different. He knows he’s going to be up against the new fighter; the one that possibly killed Baby Teeth; he also knows Joaquin is the next in the roster; with two of the newer inmates potentially being tapped if he or Joaquin don’t make it.

“Immunity.” He speaks and the Warden nods taking his blindfold off.

“Immunity for who?”

“Joaquin; the other fighters. Just use me.” The Warden laughs nodding.

“Now then. What will you fight for?” He grins stepping back from the edge and Archie takes in the figure standing across from him; his eyes widening in horror.

“Archie Andrews.” Sweet Pea hisses hands shaking as he raises his fists; brass knuckles shimmering.

“For his immunity?”

“To swap places.” Sweet Pea snaps; charging forward. Archie closes his eyes and wonders if Sweet Pea will find the letters he’s stashed in his cell.


	30. Bear Mom Pt 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A part two of Bear Mom

Sweet Pea doesn’t say anything when Mary Andrews just happens to show up to school with an extra lunch on the same day when he’d mentioned to Archie that he didn’t have lunch when he picked him up in the morning.  
He doesn’t say anything when she picks him and Archie up after practice; taking them out to pop’s after Archie let it slip Sweet Pea hadn’t brought lunch again a week later.  
Sweet Pea doesn’t say anything for months of her casually trying to feed him; he thought it maybe some sort of agenda to make him stronger; a better bodyguard for her son; he laughs to himself when he figures out a plan.  
“It’s sweet of your mom to make lunch. Shame I hate peanut butter.” He shrugs acting offhanded while he can see Archie’s face morph into panic.  
“What’s wrong?” Sweet Pea grins when Archie tries to assure him nothing is actually wrong.

Sweet Pea confirms his suspicions when the day after he mentions hating peanut butter the pb&J sandwiches have turned to ham or turkey. He continues not pushing the obvious mothering Mary is doing; he’s over at Archie’s more often than not and nothing bad seems to come of it.  
The bad part comes later; when the sheriff drags him in after accusing him of robbery; one of the northside stores had gotten broken into.

He’s not expecting Mary to show up; less so for her to bail him out; she doesn’t say anything and he doesn’t either; he’s unsure what to say and he waits until the get back to her house; he turns after getting out of the car intent on walking back towards his trailer but Mary’s hand stops him.  
“If I wanted you to go home alone i would have dropped you there.” He sulks slightly, following her confusion when she gestures to the island in the kitchen and making him a cup of coffee; he doesn’t question how she knows his milk and sugar preference.  
“What’s going on Sweet Pea? Is it something at school? Or home? Talk to me?”  
“Why should I; you’re Archie’s family; not mine; it’s Archie’s school; not mine; everything I have he does; it’s his first. All I have is him and those assholes wanted to take that away; or at least make me feel like shit for wanting him; and like hell I’m going to do that.”  
“So you’re just worried about Archie?”

“Yeah; he’s one of the only people in my life; hell you’re his mom and you’re more of my family than most; I mean besides the Serpents’ but even then; it’s more of a friendship than anything else.” He tries to shrug off his admission and Mary doesn’t say anything just nodding and waiting for Sweet Pea to walk past her to go up to bed.  
“Should I make tea then?” She offers and he sighs nodding as he pretends to sulk as they wait for the kettle to boil.  
“You’re not going to ask me if i did it?”  
“I know you didn’t.” He blinks confused at the sincerity.  
“But what if…”

“Sweet Pea; you didn’t. And if you had you would have had a reason for it; like when you were playing G&G and ended up being involved in breaking Archie out of jail; which is technically a felony..”  
“You know about that???”  
“Why wouldn’t I? I’m his mother.”  
“You’re not mine.” He snaps suddenly; moving from the island he sits at to stalk upstairs. Mary sighs shaking her head and waiting a moment before following them up to her bedroom; she pauses to hear Sweet Pea and Archie talking; Sweet Pea mumbling how he just went for a run and Archie’s mom was grilling him on where’d he’d been.  
“Well of course she would; she cares about you just as you; not in relation to me.”


	31. Sick Bucket

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Archie gets sick and Sweet Pea takes care of him

”So I was thinking…You still not feeling well?” Sweet pea sighs and Archie shrugs before his eyes widen and he rushes towards the bathroom.

“You good?” Sweet Pea shouts over the sound of Archie gagging and Archie just glares when he pokes his head from around the doorway.  
“Yeah fine for now.”  
“You must have eaten something bad; what did you eat over the past two days then?” Sweet Pea watches Archie get slightly more green.  
“We can talk about that later; just rest for now.” Sweet Pea nods and lets Archie’s head rest on his lap as he flicks through Netflix to try to find something to watch.  
“Anything specific you want to watch?”  
“The Tin Tin series.” Archie mumbles and Sweet Pea sighs.  
“Okay just let me get some stuff set up; use an actual pillow in the meantime.” Sweet Pea grumbles when Archie shoots him a look of betrayal when he stands.

Sweet pea’s half focusing on Archie; keeping an eye on both him and the soup he’s reheating. As much as he wants to reheat the chinese leftovers he debates if Archie’s stomach can handle it; with how green Archie still looks he decides the soup is better if he wants to avoid getting puked on.  
“When you come back in can you bring the trash can.” Archie asks when Sweet Pea flashes into his field of vision.  
“Yeah give me a sec.”  
“Nevermind.” Archie grumbles swaying as he stands and makes his way towards the bathroom. He hisses leaning against the wall and Sweet Pea shoves something cold and metal towards Archie when he gags and coughs into it.  
“What the hell I said bring me the trash can.” He hisses.

“Bucket was closer.” Sweet Pea helps him back towards the couch before grabbing blankets from the hall closet and then wraps them around Archie before returning to dish himself soup.  
“So Tin Tin then?” Sweet Pea assures and Archie nods curling next to him on the couch and wrinkling his nose at the soup.  
“Well we ate pretty similarly yesterday so I think it’s safe to say it’s not food poisoning.” Archie doesn’t respond and Sweet Pea half pays attention to Tini Tin; mostly just watching Archie and trying to casually check if he has a fever by sliding his hand against his back.  
“Stop it.”  
“Stop what?” Sweet pea doesn’t pause sweeping his hand to wrap it around Archie’s shoulders.  
“You’re checking to see if I have a fever.”  
“Is that a problem?”

“Do I?”  
“Well yes..”  
“Then it’s a problem. Right?”  
‘Well not if you get too warm; so we just have to keep an eye on that…”  
“Oh sure let me just reset my internal temperature and give me a sec to phone Osmosis Jones okay.” Sweet Pea laughs at Archie’s annoyance.  
“Come on babe; at least all we get to do now is just cuddle and watch tv.”  
“We do that normally.”  
“Well yeah; but at least we’re together..” Sweet Pea trails off when Archie leans over the couch to cough and gag into the trash can he’d brought in.  
“Thanks for that; I mean it.” Archie groans trying to assure Sweet Pea he is actually grateful.

“You’re going to hate me.”  
“Why would I hate you?” Archie narrows his eyes, lifting his head Sweet Pea turns his head so he doesn’t have to look him in the eyes.  
“I made you a doctors appointment in two days; even if you’re better we’re going.”  
“Why wouldn’t I be better.”  
“Exactly. Now be quiet we’re missing the best part.” Sweet Pea nods back to the tv and Archie sighs curling into his arms and trying to glare at him once more before settling back to watch the tv.


	32. Soup

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Archie/Toni/Sweet Pea; college au, they're all living together and they manage to get sick

Archie’s the one to realize Toni is sick even if she refuses to admit. He’s going to ask her where she might’ve caught it from but then he realizes with dawning horror as his throat starts to feel scratchy that she gave it to him.  
Sweet Pea comes home to both of them laying on the couch coughing and whining at the cooking show on TV.  
“Okay what happened.”

“We caught that cold that’s been going around; Betty had it a few days ago and she was working with me so I must’ve picked it up from her and-” Toni breaks to cough and Archie picks up where she left explaining how by the time he realized Toni was properly sick and it wasn’t allergies he had already caught it.  
“You could have called; i would have come back early from my research trip; I’m already over the hours i need these were just cause the professor promised me extra credit for the labs i missed when i had then- Oh i swear if you two get me sick I will not buy the fancy tissues next time i go shopping.”  
“It’s Toni’s turn to go shopping next week anyways.” Archie hums and they both turn their attention to the tv to yell at the man on Chopped who over garlic-ed everything and forgot the braised steak tips from the basket.

Sweet Pea decides to be preemptive and beings making at least double the normal amount of chicken soup.  
He frozen half of it and is debating making some pasta as well in case they get sick of soup but then he remembers they’re supposed to have class tomorrow so he calls in each of their professors while Toni continues to yell at the TV.  
“Okay if you don’t shut up about the oregano I will make you watch me playthrough that horse game.”  
“But he forgot it! It was part of the basket!!”  
“Wait really? But oregano is like such a common herb and- OH MY GOD; he’s Italian!!!!”  
“Geez stereotyping much; but yeah poor guy; the pressures are really getting to him.”  
“Oof yeah I’d hate to be him.”

“Sweet Pea I’m hungryyyyyyy” Toni whines and shifts on the couch which makes Archie actually wake up despite the shouting that just occured.  
“I’m hungry.”  
“I know; I know I made soup.”  
“Is it tomato?”  
“No; it’s chicken and; don’t give me that faceeeeeee.” Sweet Pea hisses and Archie tries to remain pouting but he breaks laughing and smirking at Toni who stands stretching and sighing as her back cracks.  
“It’s tomato soup Tuesday.”  
“It’s Wednesday.”  
“Shit.” Toni glares and heaves the pot Sweet Pea uses from the fridge to dish herself out a bowl.

“Sit; and get a blanket!” Toni huffs sniffling and trying to shove a lukewarm bowl of soup into Sweet Pea’s hands while also trying to cover Archie in another blanket because he’d started shivering again.  
“Toni I’m not even sick.” Sweet Pea grumbles.  
“You sneezed while she was making soup.”  
“First off it’s allergies; and secondly I made the soup! She just heated it up.” Sweet Pea sighs, resigning himself for the moment for Toni to mother him; he can tell she’s getting drowsy again and he pats himself on the back for replacing the non-drowsy cold medicine they have.

Toni catches on after she wakes from her impromptu nap glaring at Sweet Pea as he makes Archie take some. Sweet Pea sneezes and sighs downing some himself and crawls between both of them on the couch.  
“Allergies huh?”  
“Shut it.” He hisses.


	33. Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Swarchie; finally getting together in season 4/senior year

Archie doesn’t look up from his burger as Sweet Pea sits down.  
“So I heard Mr. Honey was coming down pretty strict on-” Archie holds his hand up as Sweet Pea pauses.  
“When isn’t he.” Archie speaks after he swallows and Sweet Pea shrugs back grabbing a handful of fries from Archie’s plate.  
“No about the whole prom thing; like he has some crazy strict dress code ideas.”  
“Oh; are we considering wearing skirts or dresses to protest?”  
“Oh no; just Toni and Cheryl are going to murder him since he’s being a massive homophobic douche.”

“So what are we going to go to prom together to shit on Honey.”  
“Hell yeah we are; uhh i mean if you want to; you know.” Archie asks grinning slightly.

Archie doesn’t say anything to Betty or Veronica. Or Cheryl and Toni; he hadn’t said anything to Jughead since junior year when Jughead had managed to corner him and make him confess to being interested in Sweet Pea; of course then everything seems to go wrong with the town and he and Veronica became a thing mostly to cover up her and Betty and his sudden lack of interest in girls.  
With everything going on in the town they didn’t have time to question how Veronica and Archie had grown distant; how he had grown closer with the Serpents; close to Sweet Pea without going dark.  
He’d heard the whispers and jokes that came after he’d gotten out of prison; that he’d become the snake’s plaything. Half the town, the northsider’s mostly were still convinced the Serpent’s had overtaken the Ghoulies; that they’d swallowed the worst of the Southside up and come out stronger; come out darker.

Of course Archie had never believed that so when Sweet Pea asked for help in history; the one subject Archie was good at he’d accepted the payment of Pop’s during the sessions no questions asked.  
After his grades started improving it had become a regular thing; just too check in and it gave them a way to pass information between everyone and gossip a tiny bit; not that there was much that the Serpent’s didn’t already know but it helped to have them as an option.

Archie hadn’t noticed when they’re grown closer or if they had even been far apart in the first place. He’d been trying to push away the thoughts of being with Sweet Pea the way everyone expected him to be with Veronica.  
Archie isn’t sure when he started liking Sweet Pea; when he wanted to be more than friends and when he’d decided that thinking about him before he went to bed became part of his routine instead of some weird thing he did every once in a while.

Sweet Pea has never had a problem with Archie Andrews; not that anyone believed him but as time went on; as he evolved from Jughead’s friend to part of the Serpents to someone Sweet Pea could call a friend everyone wasn’t wavering on the idea that Sweet Pea had a problem with Archie. Of course the closest thing Sweet Pea could consider a problem with Archie Andrews was that he wasn’t in bed with him; they weren’t holding hands, they weren’t being a couple and Archie wasn’t aware of how long Sweet Pea had been in love with him.  
Sweet Pea admits when Archie had asked him to Prom; he hoped it had nothing to do with revenge on Honey. He knows it does; otherwise Archie wouldn’t have said anything but still a little part of him had hoped still.

Prom arrives and he can tell Archie is nervous from how tightly he holds onto his hand. Fangs grins at their hands and Archie flushes.  
“Glad to see you finally did something.” Kevin and Fangs seem to speak in unison to both him and Archie look embarrassed but then confused as to who they were talking to.  
“Can we talk?” Sweet Pea asks and Archie nods following him to the side of the dance hall.  
“I know we’re supposed to be like sticking it to Honey and everything but uhh..”  
“No it’s okay; sorry if I made you uncomfortable; we can forget it and-”  
“No I just; uhh I don’t want this to just be sticking it to Honey; I want to actually date…”  
“But prom.”  
“Yeah; I want to go to prom with you; like as your date.”  
“Oh; uhh good thing we came together then?”


	34. Yearly

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Archie and Sweet Pea navigate senior year together

“Hey I’m here if you need.” Sweet Pea mumbles to Mary and she nods in thanks nudging Sweet pea towards the stairs.  
“You can help me by helping him.” She offers and Sweet Pea goes upstairs to sit with Archie while they both pretend not to cry.

”First day of school; are you doing okay?” Sweet Pea mumbles when they catch a spare moment between classes. Thanks to the electives and the advanced classes Archie was taking for college credit had kept them apart for most of the day.  
“Well no one is dead, and I think I’ll have most of my grades depend on the projects so once I get those out of the day.” Archie grins; Sweet Pea snorts and nods towards the student lounge.  
“For lunch?” he grins as the bell rings and they depart to different sides of the school.

It’s a relief that everyone is actually on the same lunch and manage to snag the couch and they’re all chatting to each other; overlapping about the new teachers and how Betty and Cheryl are complaining about the cheer coach and everyone’s trying to avoid Honey in the first place but for the moment their lunch seem to be going okay.  
-Sweet Pea offers Archie a ride home and Archie invites him in.  
“It’s only the first day and I feel like someone is gonna die this year.”  
“Well it’s about on track.” Sweet Pea laughs a little and Archie frowns.  
“On track?”  
“I mean I’ve had at least two kids I know overdose in Southside in freshman year; and then there was everything with the Ghoulies and that overdose you guys found. And then Jason; and then the other Blossoms; and then the literal cult; and then well; I mean the whole stint in prison? The G&G games. I can keep listing people from the gang.”

“Don’t.”  
“What about when we thought Jones was dead?”  
“Okay that counts for a dead guy this year; so what are we missing?”  
“A cult. Or Hiram trying to murder you again.”  
“He won’t do that.”  
“Damn right he won’t.” Sweet Pea’s arms wrap around him and Archie sighs curling into his embrace.  
“I don’t think you can fend off Hiram lodge that easily babe.”  
“Well obviously it would be me and the other Serpents.”  
“So I’d be defending myself a la susan?”  
“Stop brining up the missing Link.’  
“It’s a genius movie and you know it.”  
“That doesn’t excuse you trying to get out of being protected.”  
“In this hypothetical ‘Hiram is attacking me’ plot?” Sweet Pea doesn’t say anything and Archie frowns sitting up slightly.

“It is hypothetical right?”  
“Oh yeah I was just trying to figure out a better argument that I said so; it loses a bit of its weight ya know.”  
“Oh my god….” Archie groans and slumps into Sweet Pea’s chest.  
“Aww did you realize I was right?”  
“No it’s only the first day; i was hoping we’d be able to get through the first week without any ‘Archie’s gonna die threats.”  
“Did someone threaten you?” Sweet Pea’s arms tighten around him and Archie laughs.  
‘No; we were just talking about this hypothetical situation.”  
“Oh; that’s good.”

“I mean advanced calculus might kill me but that’s beside the point.”  
“I can’t fight calculus Arch; give me something a little more substantial please. Something I can punch.”  
“I still don’t understand why you don’t go teach boxing at the community center.”  
“I do; it’s my volunteer placement for history and english they want us to finish and work on.”  
“Oh right; I should figure that out right?”  
“Don’t you get that automatically because you’re part owner of the community center.”

“No; well I don’t think so; maybe I do…” Archie chews his lip and Sweet Pea distracts him with a kiss.  
“Don’t stress about that babe; we still have the entire year.”  
“Half our year last year was dealing with the cult.”  
“Will you lay off the cult. It was like six months at the very most.”


	35. Helping Hand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sweet Pea helping Mary, Archie, and Mad Dog with the Gym

”I can be a lookout for Dodger; seriously I can take him.” Sweet pea offers and Archie hesitates kissing him and manages to use it as a distraction to pull him into the community center.  
“Too late; you’re already inside.” He grins and Sweet Pea narrows his eyes but nods.

The next day he finds Sweet pea and Munroe talking like they’ve been friends since childhood and when Sweet Pea gets up Archie notice’s his clothes seem nicer than normal; more tailored; he curses all the time spent with veronica and her high fashion sense before he steps closer and whistles.  
“This isn’t for you; i mean it is; but protection.”  
“Protection?”  
“If you won’t let me protect the gym then I’m going to protect you.”  
“But dodger…”  
“I know Munroe; the bulldogs and the rest of the Serpents have a patrol plan so don’t sweat it; we’ll bring as many kids as we can here; convince them they’ll be safe.”

“They are safe here.”  
“We know that but they don’t; so…” Sweet Pea trails off grinning and Archie can’t help but smile back.  
“Thanks babe.”  
“Anytime. Anything at all; let me know.”

”Veronica had the idea to do a car wash for the gym; do you guys want to help?”  
“I’d kill for a chance to run around shirtless in front of you.” Sweet Pea grins winking and Archie blushes slightly but nods.  
“Great she said we can set it up at Pop’s so i’ll go down and talk to her about it and we can figure that out; also there’s talks of doing a charity dinner; sort of a soup kitchen/fundraiser for everyone; I know we’re doing that one at thanksgiving so maybe a test run sometime soon.”  
“I’m always down to see you in formal wear.” Archie finds himself blushing again and he glares at the ground sighing before nodding to Sweet Pea.

“Anything else you want to say to him to kill him then?” Munroe laughs arm jokingly slung around Archie to fake support him as Archie pretends to be weak.  
“Well between those two options I’d much rather see him in nothing; but not around others; no offense Munroe.”  
“None taken.”

“Wait what do you mean we have to finish the english project by tomorrow? I thought that wasn’t due till the twenty-seventh.”  
“The twenty-seventh is a Saturday; plus we got it a month ago; we’ve had plenty of time to-”  
“I’ve been swamped with dodger and they gym and-”  
“I know; I did most of it anyway; it wasn’t hard; seriously it’s fine; you just need to edit it a bit and double check it fits the brief requirements.

“You’re a saint; I love you.”  
“I know, patron Saint of saving your ass. And blessed be that ass.”  
“Will you shut up about my ass!”  
“NEVER!” Sweet Pea laughs grinning at Archie as they shift on the couch so they’re both cuddling and laying on it.  
“I still need to find a way to thank you for all of your help.”  
“Well dating me is a good start.”  
“We are dating.”  
“Exactly so you’re helping.”

“But seriously having you helping with the gym is really helping; I mean my mom’s able to focus on dad’s business and i can focus a bit more on school-”  
“Minus the english project.”  
“Well yeah minus the english project but seriously; it really helps.”  
“Well as the patron saint of-”  
“Will you shut up about my ass!!!!”  
“Would you rather I talk about your dick; in your home, around dinner time, in front of your mother.”  
“Point taken.”


	36. Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They end up meeting up at college and then everyone in riverdale finding out they’re a thing

“Are you sure you want to go in together?”  
“We drove here in the same car..”  
“No like together; together.” Sweet Pea squeezes Archie’s hand that rests in his own.  
“Yes; are you ready to listen to everyone asking how we go together every five seconds.” Archie laughs when Sweet Pea groans.

“Oh you’re back.” Fred doesn’t look up from the paper and Mary waves them over to the booth they have in Pop’s.  
“It’s good to see you two; how’re things.” Mary starts and Sweet Pea chuckles when he sees FP Jones scoffing.  
“What FP?”  
“You knew?”  
“About Archie and Sweet Pea? Of course; why wouldn’t I; we went up to visit him for the big homecoming game.”  
“Right; and you’re-”  
“FP I just meant Archie and Jughead would never work out; they’re too different; Jughead hates sports..”  
“Wait FP; you wanted Jughead and I to get together?” Archie looks confused.  
“No; I just thought since you’re going off to college you’d just follow in your dad’s footsteps..”  
“And sleep with a Jones?” Archie snorts.

“I swear if you tell them about-” Sweet pea cuts himself off and Fred turns.  
“You slept with Jughead?”  
“This is not a ‘who slept with Jughead breakfast’ it’s a welcome back one.” Mary interrupts. Archie can see the rest of Pop’s regulars; his friends; all turning interested in the discussion.  
“Well, welcome back; how’re you two doing?”  
“Good; the apartment is still standing so that’s a plus.” Archie mentions and he can see Betty leaning forward in her seat.  
“Yes?” He side eyes her and she jumps slightly.  
“Betty I’m not an idiot. I can see your reporter’s nose going haywire.”  
“Sorry.” She ducks her head as she moves towards their booth.  
“So you and Sweet Pea?” She questions and Archie is already getting ready to hear about the rest of Riverdale knowing before dinnertime.

“Yeah.” he doesn’t offer much else and Betty presses on.  
“How did that happen?”  
“Well;” Sweet Pea grins before Archie can say anything and Betty perks up.  
“We didn’t realize we’d gotten into the same college and we started talking and got closer. His parents came up for the football game and that’s when i realized we were both from here.” Sweet Pea shrugs a little.  
“Wait you didn’t remember me?” Sweet pea laughs.  
“I did; but seeing your dad i was like ‘oh yeah the Andrews of Riverdale’ it kinda stuck with me; I mean Fred Andrews is basically as much Riverdale and the sign welcoming you or Pop’s itself.” 

“Fair point.” Archie concedes and Fred grins into his coffee; they all scoot over slightly; Jughead, Betty and FP sliding into the booth.  
“Alice busy?”  
“Yeah she’s on the news again; her reporting career has really taken off since Betty’s been managing her.”  
“So are you two happy?” Betty asks, ignoring the parents who start to reminisce about something.  
“Yeah we are.” Archie assures and Betty rolls her eyes.  
“Is Sweet Pea making indecent gestures?”  
“Yes, yes I am.” He grins and Archie laughs a little before they both cheer when their food arrives.

“I’ve been dreaming of this all year!”  
“You guys are going to Centerville Community College like Kevin; you can come home on the weekends like he does.”  
“He just comes home for Fangs; not Pop’s; although that is tempting.”  
“Well we have a week to think about it; we’ll see how the rumor mill goes till then.” Archie sighs looking longingly at the burger before shrugging.  
“Yeah we’ll see.” He agrees.


	37. Sick Wars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Swarchie, Archie and his daughter get sick (flu); Sweet Pea takes care of them

Sweet Pea had insisted that they get flu shots; and Archie had even scheduled an appointment but two days before he and his daughter are meant to get it he can feel the heat radiating from her and he sighs curling back under the blanket with her after texting Sweet Pea they’re both out of commission for dinner.  
Sweet pea seems to take it fairly well; considering it was their daughters three year adoption anniversary but he brings home Pop’s offering them both milkshakes after they’d proven they could keep toast down.  
“Dairy is bad for sinuses” Archie comments and Sweet Pea shrugs.  
“You don’t have to drink it; plus if it’s the flu; which knowing you two it will be; you’ll be out for at least three more days. I doubt one milkshake is going to make you suffer more.”  
“If we drown in our own snot…”

“I know it put ‘I was right’ on the gravestone.” Archie nods, finishing his shake and deciding to follow his daughter’s example and sleep for now. Sweet Pea takes the moment to switch the channel; eating his burger and fries in the quiet silence until someone coughs and sneezes and then the silence falls again.

He retreats from the couch for the moment, watching from the doorway as he starts to unpack the supplies he’d bought. While he knew they had some cold and flu medication he knew they were running low on tissues. He’d also stocked up on cough drops and he’s thinking that he’s hoarding enough or the orange flavoured ones to open his own store as he keeps pulling packs out. He remembers when he looks at the receipt; they were having a buy four get one free sale and they really didn’t go off anytime soon so he decided it was worth the weird looks from the two people in the pharmacy as he practically cleared the shelves.

He pulls his laptop from where it’s charging bringing it, the charger and the files from his work over to the armchair; turning the TV volume slightly lower he starts working on tomorrows reports; debating emailing and taking the rest of the week off; but he decided to play it by ear for now; no sense in using vacation days when he doesn’t have too.  
“You’re working?” Archie’s voice is groggy and Sweet Pea nods.  
“Yeah just thought I’d get a head start while you two were napping; I’ll get both of you some medicine.”  
“But-”  
“You’ll get orange cough drops if you take it.”  
“What’s the flavour..”  
“I just said orange.”

“Not the medicine?”  
“It’s just pills? I’m not going to give you kid medication; especially not if you both have the flu. That would be a nightmare for me; both of you sick for like a week.”  
“So you’re giving me this so i can get better and help you with our daughter?”  
“Well yes; but also because I want you to not die of the flu.”  
“I won’t die.”  
“You almost choked on a cough drop the last time you got a cold.”  
“I was trying to drink water at the same time that’s all.” Archie wheezes slightly and Sweet Pea nudges the bowl of cough drops away as Archie reaches for the glass of water.

“Do you want me to put on a movie?” Archie shrugs a little and nods to their daughter who is still asleep.  
“Maybe a stack of Disney for when she wakes up.”  
“Good idea; what about you?”  
“Whatever.”  
“Star Wars it is.”  
“Which order?”  
“First order.”  
“Haha hilarious; so the order they were made in then?”  
“Nah chronological is the best.”  
“Mmhmm, so you keep saying; but I’ve yet to see the merit in it.”  
“It’s because you keep falling asleep.”

“It’s relaxing; hyper skipping puts me right to sleep.”  
“Hyperspace travel you mean.”  
“I think the cantina is the best.”  
“Of course you would.”  
“You should get everyone at the Wyrm to make it into the cantina; it would be boss.” Sweet Pea nods and goes to compile the star wars dvd’s in the order he wants and then pulls the stack of Disney movies they have; it takes him maybe five minutes but by the time he gets back Archie’s back asleep and their daughter is awake.  
“I was going to put on star wars; you want to watch it?” She nods grinning and he sighs.

“What order do you want to watch it in?”  
“First order.” She giggles and he can see Archie failing to hide his own laughter as his shoulders move.  
“Well since you two are sick no popcorn; since it has butter and ‘dairy is bad for sinuses.” Sweet Pea smirks as they curl into each other and glare at him from the mound of blankets they created.


	38. Prompt: 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Using a prompts list; 14. I’ve Never told/shown this to anyone else

Sweet Pea assumes Archie just peels through hobbies and his interests whenever something catches his eye. He’s confused when Archie eyes the Motorcycle nervously.

“Come on Andrews, you can drive a car, a bike should be no problem.” Archie shrug swinging his leg over and nodding to the back of the bike.

“Oh no, I’m not risking that; i’ll wait here, just do a loop.” Sweet Pea waits for something to happen. Nothing does but he can see the relieved sigh Archie blows through his teeth.

“Bikes make you nervous?”

“Not motorcycles.” Sweet Pea nods urging Archie on to continue.

“I’ve never told anyone this but; I can’t ride a bike.”

“You? Mr. I can do anything that catches my eye for more than two seconds? You can’t ride a bike?” Archie ducks his head shrugging.

“I mean i can i just fall and-”

“So you can’t ride it. Babe; i’m not making fun of you, it’s cute.”

“Easy for you to say Mr. Perfect.”

“Mr. Perfect?” Sweet Pea snorts and Archie nods.

“Yeah! Anything you do is something you’re able to do, it’s crazy how good you are ad adapting to things; it’s like you’re Darwin.”

“I appreciate the compliment babe, but that’s not true, here; something i’ve never shown anyone.” Archie frowns when Sweet Pea pulls his shirt up at the back, a small notched scar, a perfect imitation of a staple pressed into his side, pink and smooth on the rest of his tanned skin.

“So you got hurt?” Sweet Pea shrugs.

“What happened?”

“Fell.”

“Fell off? Onto something? Into a stapler? I need details or; hey you okay?” Archie pauses eyebrows knitting together.

“Sweets?”

“I live on my own because my parent’s thought it was easier to for everyone involved if I wasn’t in the house.”

“Really?” Archie cringes when Sweet Pea nods.

“It’s fine really; I mean there’s only so many times you can hit with the tough end of a belt before someone on the outside asks the wrong question at the right time and Reggie blabs to anyone who will listen.”

“Reggie? Reggie Mantle?”

“Yeah.” Sweet Pea grins stretching it as far as a lie can go.

“Why do you think Mantle started getting black eyes and bruises from ‘training’ all of a sudden? His shield ain’t there no more.”

“Wait your Reggie’s brother?”

“Half.” He sneers and Archie nods.

“Thank you for telling me; although i feel out done in the ‘life changing secret department now; with you having an entire family; and me just not knowing how to ride a bike.”

“Well we can’t all be Mr. Perfect; now can we?”


	39. Prompt: 45

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Using a prompt list; 45 "tell me a secret"

“Tell me a secret.” Sweet pea mumbles from where he’s crouched behind the van.  
“Is this really a good time?” Archie hisses and Sweet Pea’s hand closes over his mouth.  
“Could be worse times.” He amends tugging the gas hose from the underside of the car.  
“How did you even-I don’t care; can we go home now?”  
“No; we still have to-” Sweet Pea doesn’t finish Archie pulling him behind him.  
“Arch-” Sweet Pea mumbles before Archie shoves him against the wall.  
“Hey!” Sweet Pea freezes as the Ghoulies voice shouts.  
“Play along.” Archie mumbles into his ear as he shoves his jacket on the ground along with his shirt  
“Holy shit; fuck.” Archie screeches and the man in front of them narrows his eyes.  
“And what do you two think you’re doing here?” he looks unimpressed from Archie to Sweet Pea; Sweet Pea glaring at Archie while he’s put on his best embarrassed puppy dog face.  
“You said no one would find us!” Archie snaps and Sweet Pea stares dumbfounded; the ghoulie wrinkles his nose.  
“God bulldogs are gross; this is officially ghoulie turf, you two can have your midnight hookup somewhere else; scram!”  
“So that’s why you made me wear Reggie’s jacket.”  
“Course; I figured the Ghouls aren’t going to attack two dumb Bulldogs that got caught ‘being bro’s’ vs two Serpent’s running around stealing the parts from their cars.”  
“So the secret?”  
“I love you.”  
“That is the most shit secret ever.”  
“Fine; how about-”  
“No you can’t just make up a secret.”  
“I’m not making it up; I’m thinking; something you obviously don’t do. Since I’m the brains behind our operation.”  
“Technically I’m the brains. You’re both just the muscle.” Toni looks unimpressed as they walk through the doors of the Wyrm.


	40. Prompt: 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Using a prompt list; 17.) “Looks like we’ll be trapped for a while…”

“We’re stuck.”

“No we’re not.”

“Archie face it we’re trapped.”

“Not if I have anything to say about it.” Archie grins and Sweet Pea shakes his head.

“I’m aware you have lots to say; but that doesn’t change any of this.”

“We’re not-”

“It looks like we’ll be trapped here for a while; so just I dunno go find some candles in case the power goes out.”

“We’re not trapped!” Archie snaps and Sweet pea glares at the door.

“The fuck you call that rainstorm then?”

“Rain it’s just-”

“If you say rain.”

“This could be a lot worse you know that right?”

“Well yes; the rest of the serpents could be here.”

“You got shit to say about the Serpents?” Archie shrugs pulling a blanket around his shoulders.

“You still seem to talk shit about the bulldogs. so-”

“They’re not even a gang!”

“Yeah! thats a good thing Sweets! I’m friends with people who aren’t criminals!!”

“YOU WENT TO JAIL! WE BUSTED YOU OUT!!”

“And did you see me joining a gang?” Archie smirks nodding to Sweet Pea

“Take you shirt off and show me your fucking arm.” Sweet Pea glares and Archie scowls pulling his shirt off to show his Serpent tattoo. Sweet Pea smirks now as Archie sighs pulling he blanket back around him.

“Aww are you cold?”

“We’ll have to cuddle for warmth then.”


	41. Prompt: 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Using a prompt list; 13 "kiss me"

“So I know that we might not have done everything up to code or whatever standards you and the bulldogs have but-”

“Kiss me.”

“No; let me finish. As I was-” Sweet Pea laughs when Archie huffs pulling him against him for a kiss.

“Arch; you gotta be careful!”

“I broke my leg not my face! i’ll be fine!”

“I know. My foot won’t be.” Archie gasps looking down to where the crutch he’d been using to support himself was firmly crushing Sweet Pea’s foot.

“Oh my god I’m so sorry!” Archie jerks the crutch back almost throwing it to the other side of the room with how loud it clatters.

“No it’s okay, just uh, say it’s my face you hurt.” Sweet Pea smirks and nods eagarly before he moves to pick the crutch back up offering towards Archie so he can hold it again. He rests it against the chair instead.

“Why? it’s very obviously not..”

“So I can ask you to kiss it and make it better you idiot.” Sweet Pea grins and Archie shakes his head.

“Ten seconds ago you were complaining i was interrupting your speech about whatever it was-” Archie looks unimpressed and Sweet Pea scowls.

“Yeah your birthday party! We set everything up and- Stop laughing!”

“No it’s just; it’s not my birthday; where did you get that information?”

“Betty gave it to us!” Archie nods in understanding.

“She get’s mine and my dad’s messed up, mine’s tomorrow.”

“Okay then happy early birthday, we made you a cake!”


	42. Bully

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sweet Pea hears/sees Reggie pranking/teasing Archie and assumes he’s being bullied.

No one bullied Archie; besides him being on the football team, and having gone to prison, and having fought a bear; Sweet Pea was always there to keep an eye on him.  
No one is really sure when they got together but everyone knows not to mess with either of them or the other; and consequently all of their friends will back them up.  
Which is why Sweet Pea is surprised to hear that Reggie of all people has been apparently teasing and pranking Archie. Reports had varied from the occasional salt instead of sugar; or a red sock in the team laundry that just so happened to be only Archie’s things. Sweet Pea brush that off fairly easy but when it starts to trickle in that Reggie had apparently given Archie a wedgie; and then he’d heard it has escalated to Reggie actually hitting him; but he thinks that that was made up as it was Chuck who had whispered it in the halls when he’d seen Sweet Pea walking past.

Sweet Pea tries not to be annoyed at the fact that Archie and him don’t actually get to talk until they’re seated at Pop’s and by that time he’s half forgotten the bullying and is too distracted by how excited Archie is about Spirit week and the upcoming game that Sweet Pea doesn’t want to ruin it by talking about something so dark. So he orders a milkshake and settles into the booth to listen to Archie explain about the training and work out he’s been doing.  
“So you’re using this as an excuse to get a double cheeseburger?”  
“No using it as an excuse for two milkshakes.” He laughs and Sweet Pea joins in stealing a forkful of the chilli fries.  
“I was thinking we could go back to mine and watch a movie?” It’s not an odd request for Sweet pea to make and he grins when Archie nods enthusiastically.  
“I was hoping you’d say that. I’ve needed time without all the others;” he waves to the bulldogs and their other friends who’ve walked in.

“Not that I don’t love them but i miss it just being us.”  
“Well that’s what movie night is for.”  
“Just the movie?” Archie grins and Sweet pea laughs.  
“There’s something I wanna ask you; I heard a dumb rumor at school which I don’t think is true but i want to hear your opinion.”  
“Of course; I can’t wait. You know I loveeeee to gossip.” Archie laughs again and pulls over both of the shakes he’s gotten.

Sweet Pea had let them watch the movie all the way through; even including at least four make-out breaks between but he’d suggested going to Pop’s for a midnight snack before talking about the rumor. Archie wasn’t nervous and Sweet Pea kept joking until he’d gone quiet for a moment before sighing dramatically.  
“Has Reggie been attacking you? I heard he gave you a wedgie and like that just screams classic bully.”  
“No it was just a prank? I mean we all do it for spirit week; you should’ve seen when I pantsed Reggie in Pop’s last week; that’s what the wedgie was for; payback; now we’re even as the week finishes.”  
“So he wasn’t bullying you..”

“No he wasn’t. You of all people should know what they say about assuming.” Archie grins and Sweet Pea narrows his eyes.  
“If you’re about to say that stupid donkey pun i’ll leave you to Reggie’s wedgie attack.”  
“Makes an ass out of you and me.” Archie mumbles before he grins back to Sweet Pea.  
“You take all the fun out of being right babe.”  
“I also keep you safe.” Sweet Pea kisses him and Archie huffs in annoyance when they pull away.  
“I can take care of myself.”

“You sure?” Sweet Pea watches the sugar container that Archie holds to pour into his coffee. Archie narrows his eyes.  
“You first.”  
“I don’t like sugar in my coffee; just spoon a little out.” Archie sighs in relief when it’s sugar instead of salt.  
“So when does spirit week end?”  
“Well today was the last day so we’re prank free until next year.”


	43. Fish

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fluff; no specified plot

Archie knew it wasn’t safe to go down to Sweetwater River; he’d heard the rumors of Jason Blossom’s drowning so many times he could almost recite it word for word. Betty refused to go with him grumbling about the last time that she’d been there she’d seen an actual snake and it had tried to attack her.

Archie doesn’t tell his parents he’s leaving; he figures he’s ten so he’s old enough to take care of himself.  
The bank is surprisingly dry; none of the water has made the muck slippery and dangerous; so Archie can only blame himself when he slips and his foot slides into the water; only to jam itself onto a rock and cut under his big toe.  
“OW!” He yelps, pulling his foot and inspecting it on the back.  
“You gonna keep bleeding into the river?” He jumps at the voice looking to see another boy swimming in the river.  
“I was just lookin’ at it. I’m Archie Andrews.”  
“Sweet Pea.” The boy grins waving and swimming slightly closer.

“I can fix it; give it here!” Sweet Pea shouts tugging at Archie’s foot towards him so he slides against the ground; he can already see his shirt is dirty and his mom will be upset but he watches as the boy shoves his foot back into the water before he lets it go and Archie examines his foot to see a small pink scar.  
“Wow; thanks Sweet Pea.” The boy doesn’t respond; in fact he’s vanished and Archie can suddenly hear rustling before his dad appears pulling him up.  
“What were you thinking? You could have gotten hurt! You’re lucky you fell onto the ground instead of the water!”  
“Sorry dad; I made a friend though! His name is Sweet Pea.”  
“Well that’s good; come on home; your mom decided to get pizza.”

Archie returns to the river almost every week that summer he doesn’t see Sweet Pea that often; only occasionally will he catch the boy swimming and laughing at him; Archie doesn’t mind he’ll sit; playing his guitar a birthday present from his grandfather and spend the time singing with Sweet Pea.  
He doesn’t see Sweet Pea at school but he reasons Sweet Pea probably lives on the other side of the river and he’s never heard of anyone in Riverdale living on the other side.

He’s fourteen when he sees Sweet Pea on his side of the river. He’s grown; they both have but where Archie has grown tall and willowy Sweet Pea has grown tall and muscled. He’s wearing a black leather jacket some sort of scale motif on the sleeves. His hair looks wet with some sort of product and he’s hovering by a group of people Archie’s never seen on this side of the river or bridge.  
“Sweet Pea?” Archie coughs when Sweet Pea whips around grinning.  
“ARCHIE! Hey man I thought you didn’t live here anymore! You never come to the river to hang anymore!!!”  
“Oh sorry; schools been killing me; I’m shit at english and we have to do this whole project on fairy tales and it’s murder.”  
“Oh damn where do you go?”  
“Riverdale High? You?”

“Southside.” Sweet Pea grins with his teeth and Archie’s struck with an immense amount of panic at how much he wants him to stop smiling so they can kiss.  
“You okay Arch?”  
“Huh; yeah fine just; forgot something.” He turns and runs into Pop’s hoping Sweet Pea won’t come in. Of course he’s not that lucky and while he’s trying to explain to Betty and Veronica to not ask Sweet Pea taps him on the shoulder.  
“You dropped this outside; was this what you were looking for?” Sweet Pea holds out his wallet and Archie sighs in relief never happier to be clumsy.

“Thanks man you’re a lifesaver.” Archie doesn’t comment on how his wallet is wet; he must have dropped it into a puddle and when he walks outside he makes a point of rushing unsure why he wants to avoid Sweet Pea.  
“Are you busy this weekend? Maybe we can go down to the river? You still play?” Sweet Pea offers and Archie grins.  
“Yeah; I’ve even written a couple of my own songs.”  
“Stellar; I’d love to hear them!”

They’ve been sitting on the banks for hours so Archie yawns; stowing his guitar and stretching; of course he has to lose his footing and slip; falling; and of course he has to manage to fall into the river.  
“Archie are you okay?” He can hear Sweet Pea asking and he tries to pull himself up from the water but finds the current too strong; his next thought is of Jason; of the warning of his drowning and Archie wonders how long it’ll take for his name to replace Jason’s. All of this melancholy thought is interrupted when Sweet Pea’s arms close around him and haul him up back to the bank.  
“How the hell did you do that?”

“I work out…” Sweet Pea nods to his arms and flexes. Archie grins a little and then coughs water grimacing and he hacks slightly.  
“Not the whole effortlessly swimming.”  
“It’s easy.”  
“Well obviously not to me; I was drowning!”  
“Oh like I’d let you; what kind of merman would I be if i let you drown in my river.”  
“Merman?”  
“Yeah half man half fish.” He grins and Archie finally notices that Sweet Pea is still in the water; his lower half replaced by a glimmering blue green tail that blends into the water with how the light reflects off of it.  
“Oh Jesus Christ.”

“No; my name is Sweet Pea; and don’t worry you haven’t hit your head.”  
“Shouldn’t-”  
“Doesn’t work like the Disney movie; or the fairytale for that matter; I just exist; if I submerge my entire lower half it turns into a tail; that’s all.”  
“That’s all?”  
“Well you could at least thank your saviour..”  
“With a kiss?”  
“Well yes..” Both Archie and Sweet Pea blush at this before half leaning in before jumping slightly when their lips touch.  
“Again?” They say at the same time grinning.


	44. Nurse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Swarchie; Sick-fic, Archie gets sick from Sweet Pea’s sister

Archie refuses to go to the doctor; there’s no need he assures. He knows exactly what’s wrong with him. He knows exactly how long it’s going to last and how sick and long it’ll take him to recover. He also knows he’s never going over to visit Sweet Pea’s sister unless he knows she’s not sick as he’d spent half the time he was there; supposedly introducing himself to her sitting awkwardly on the couch passing her a box of tissues or the glass of water. Occasionally he’d refill it from the kitchen but that was the extent of his tour of the house.  
He’d assured both her and Sweet Pea that he didn’t mind her being sick; and he really didn’t he just minded that he’d brought home the flu with him and was trying his best to drown it out with orange juice and excessive amounts of water.

It doesn’t work and two days later Archie is curled on his couch hiding in one of Sweet Pea’s hoodies and under three blankets he’s stolen from Sweet Pea’s bed and Sweet Pea tries not to laugh when he can just see Archie’s eyes and the top of his hair.

“Sweet Pea, remind me to send a card to your sister about how shitty this is!” Archie grumbles between coughing and Sweet Pea glares as Archie looks up from the chair he’d taken over in the student lounge.  
“Well if you weren’t insistent about coming to school with a fucking fever….”  
“What’re you gonna do? Drag me to the nurse?” Sweet pea contemplates this but before he actually can Archie’s already run off to his next class.  
Sweet pea decides to hunt him down, determined to make him go to the nurse to either be sent home with a fever or to assure Sweet Pea that he can in fact be in school.  
Archie doesn’t show up for lunch and Sweet Pea is silently hoping that he went home; instead he sighs when the nurse flags him down on the way to his next class.

“He has a fever and he said his dad is out of town.”  
“Yeah his dad is out of town; I tried to make him stay home but he’s really stubborn.” The nurse nods and lets Sweet Pea sign him out, the perks of being eighteen first Sweet Pea thinks as he hauls Archie up from the nurses cot on towards his bike.  
“Just hold on and if you’re feeling up for it we can get Pop’s later.” Archie doesn’t verbally respond just nodding and then coughing a little.  
“My voice…” Archie croaks out and Sweet Pea chuckles.  
“Yeah not surprised that went I mean you’ve been talking non stop trying to convince everyone you’re feeling fine and then you’re taking five whole minutes to cough and sneeze and bury yourself in a pile of tissues and the extra hoodies you brought.” Sweet pea grins nudging Archie’s bag when he shakes his head trying to deny it.

“And I know you took two of the blankets from the end of my bed; I don’t know how you thought I wouldn’t notice that; they’re my blankets that I sleep with every night.”  
“It’s as much my blanket as-”  
“Hush; save your strength…”  
“Asshole.” Archie coughs and Sweet Pea laughs.  
“You can claim it’s your blanket all you want because of how often you sleep here but that doesn’t mean shit when you compare it to how long I’ve had the blanket; or the fact I bought it; for myself!” Sweet Pea grins and Archie smirks back.

“You’re arguing with someone who is sick? And invalid; how could you be so cruel my love; to wound someone who already is wounded.” Archie half croaks half whispers as his voice dips in and out while he sneezes and coughs.  
“You have at least four more days of this; I’m not asking you to rest your voice; I’m telling.”  
“Next you’ll be taking the blankets from me and making me make my own soup….” Archie chuckles but it just comes out as a raspy cough and a round of sniffles which Sweet Pea offers a glass of water and some medication for the slowly building symptoms he’s getting.

“Like I said; four more days of this at least.”  
“I bet you get it after me.” Archie huffed before he coughs once more turning towards the TV that Sweet Pea has put on.


	45. Stationed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Swarchie; season 5, they join the army and are stationed together and start dating, when they get home they surprise everyone

It hadn’t taken Archie more than five minutes of looking at the variety of college applications to decide he’d need to join the army to pay for it. Sweet Pea had never bothered looking at any of them, he assumed if he was going to die it’d always be fighting and the military would at least house him no questions asked as well as paying for at least some of his schooling by the looks of the brochures he had skimmed in the recruitment office.

They’ve both heard the horror stories, Archie had to listen to his mom crying and trying to hide it since the night he’d told her.

Basic training was just as described, basic and boring and Archie was so utterly alone. He’d assumed that they’d group people from similar places together but apparently they just decided to throw everyone together randomly.

Sweet Pea doesn’t feel one way or the other about basic training, its boring but he has decent food, and a constant supply of it. He doesn’t have to actually fight anyone for it and they’re teaching him decent first aid, even if he already knows how to sew up some simpler wounds, something his superiors look at him with a mix of pity and annoyance. Still Sweet Pea doesn’t step out of line and they don’t comment just giving him that look when they realize his tattoo isn’t just a fashion statement.

Archie can hear them talking about where he’s going to be stationed all he hears, all that rings in his ears is ‘serpents together’ and he wonders who exactly they’ll push him with.

Sweet Pea is not looking forward to being on office duty, he knows realistically this is far better than potentially dying in some pointless war but he’s dreading having to have small talk with other officers. When he manages to drag himself into the cubicle he’s stationed at he can’t help but laugh at the puff of red hair he sees sitting next to him.

“Sweet Pea?”  
“Archie! It’s good to see you…” Sweet Pea pulls him into a hug before he even realizes what he’s doing and the two pull back awkwardly after both trying to hold the hug slightly longer than necessary.

Sweet Pea’s not really sure how it happens, at first he’s trying to convince himself the entire reason he’s even fooling around with Archie is because they know each other. He refuses to admit the feelings that are growing stronger, he knows Archie wouldn’t feel that way about him.

Sweet Pea is once again proved wrong in his life when Archie shyly asks about going on a real date and maybe making it official. Sweet Pea’s more than happy to agree and after a long talk at dinner, and a longer night not sleeping they’re both sore and satisfied to call each other boyfriends.

Archie’s the one to panic about his family and all their friends finding out. Not that Sweet Pea is expecting anything other than indifference from Jughead, and the rest of the Serpents.

Mary Andrews hugs both of them, not letting go for five minutes and Sweet Pea’s hand goes numb while it’s clasped with Archie’s and she laughs for another five minutes breaking the laughter up with sincere congratulations and praise for both of them. She offers to take them to Pop’s where everyone was having the usual thanksgiving get together and they agree, after taking a quick nap.

Jughead keeps staring at their hands but refuses to say anything because neither of them are. Archie’s just happy to talk to Jughead about everything happening, and how he and Betty are getting along running the paper and the Serpents. 

Jughead’s in the middle of explaining how Toni and Cheryl are actually head of the Serpent’s when Fangs arrives and actually shoves Jughead to point at Archie and Sweet pea’s clasped hands.

“Hm? Oh this, yeah that happened while we were stationed together, do you have any idea how boring the office would have been if i didn’t have this guy to back me up about all the shit we got up to in high school..”

“Like any of them wouldn’t believe you.” Betty comments and Archie raises an eyebrow at her.

“You try telling the mom’s who read your advice column that you solved the murder’s your serial killer dad was commiting and expect them to actually think you’re telling the truth.” Sweet Pea laughs when Betty chews her lip nodding.

“See, so Archie and I being together isn’t weird. Least weird thing about this town actually.” Sweet Pea grumbles and Archie leans over kissing him in agreement.


	46. Apocalypse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Swarchie, Zombie apocalypse

Step one. Step two. Step three. It had been 3 months since the fires had started. Great raging infernos of heat and death. They would burst from the ground and race each other till they died out. There was a constant haze in the air, from the smoke and ash. The fires weren’t that bad. Three weeks after the fires started came the one that almost killed Archie. It was a miracle he had managed to outrun it. Three days after the most recent fire he had been gathering provisions for his newest safe house, when a radio had flickered on.

“One. Two. Three… Testing? Can anyone hear me? Can anyone hear me? Can anyone-“ the radio cut off and they could just hear screams. Sweet Pea heard a garbled sound that he thought might have been someone screaming about fire. They’d been running a makeshift burn hospital, not that many came their way. The fire didn’t leave survivors. Archie peeled off the bandages on his open burn, it was not infected, but raw bleeding skin. Sweet Pea hears the rustle of someone coming into the shelter, and he quickly replaces Archie’s bandage. Sweet Pea stands to help them, recognising Veronica’s shimmering pearls.

“The fires they stopped… but there’s something worse…”

“What is it?” Sweet Pea quickly grabbed a first aid kit, ready to help the injured.

“You won’t need that, they’re already dead…”

“Zombies….” A nod from Veronica that ends with everyone shivering with the realization. “The fires will kill them..”

“The fires we’re the carriers of the disease.. The fires didn’t kill them, they caused it” Veronica stumbles out and Archie knows she’s going to find Betty and Cheryl, they’d been camping together after Jughead had perished in the fires. Sweet Pea spares a glance down at the burn on Archie’s side. The skin is beginning to bubble and blister as the disease starts to spread.

“We’ll find a way out of this. I swear.” Sweet Pea assures Archie and Archie just chews his lip and slumps in the passenger seat of the car they have.

Archie’s been sleeping more, Sweet Pea doesn’t need to say that it worries him. Archie doesn’t need to say he doesn’t feel well. He’s growing paler, less interested in food, in Sweet Pea. In anything besides staying curled under the blankets they have and occasionally blinking at Sweet pea when he flicks his phone light at Archie’s face.

“Where’re we?” Archie stumbles, his tongue heavy in his mouth, his cheeks a flaming red while his hair seems to have become a dull rust.

“Betty’s place.” Sweet Pea can see Archei trying not to panic, trying to think of an excuse, he doesn’t know what will happen if he ends up around anyone that’s not Sweet Pea, there’s no record of this disease yet.

“Seriously Archie?” Betty looks horrified when he’d just blurted he’d been burned.

“Well everyone who’s a zombie had gotten burned to death, no one managed to escape the fires.” Veronica adds in and Cheryl narrows her eyes. Archie shrugs a little and just returns his focus to repatching his bandages, which aren’t really needed there’s blistering crawling up his side and twisting on his back, and the thick rope of scabs from where the burn was the deepest seems to glow like the fire had.

“So what do we do now? I mean we can’t just kill you, you seem fine besides looking a little worse for wear, you haven’t had, food issues, have you?” Betty asks and Archie shrugs a little. He’s explaining it’s basically a cold when Veronica sits up.

“You’re healing.”

“Well yeah that’s what scabs are…”

“No, like zombies, they don’t heal. They just decay.”

“So I’m not going to turn?”

“Well not yet…” Sweet Pea laughs and Archie grins, relieved that for now he has more time.


End file.
